<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html>
<head>
<title>UTas ePrints - Testosterone, ticks and travels: a test of the immunocompetence–handicap hypothesis in free-ranging male sand lizards</title>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/javascript/auto.js"><!-- padder --></script>
<style type="text/css" media="screen">@import url(http://eprints.utas.edu.au/style/auto.css);</style>
<style type="text/css" media="print">@import url(http://eprints.utas.edu.au/style/print.css);</style>
<link rel="icon" href="/images/eprints/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" />
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/eprints/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" />
<link rel="Top" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/" />
<link rel="Search" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/search" />
<meta content="Olsson, Mats" name="eprints.creators_name" />
<meta content="Wapstra, Erik" name="eprints.creators_name" />
<meta content="Madsen, Thomas" name="eprints.creators_name" />
<meta content="Silverin, Bengt" name="eprints.creators_name" />
<meta content="" name="eprints.creators_id" />
<meta content="erik.wapstra@utas.edu.au" name="eprints.creators_id" />
<meta content="" name="eprints.creators_id" />
<meta content="" name="eprints.creators_id" />
<meta content="article" name="eprints.type" />
<meta content="2007-11-15 03:07:24" name="eprints.datestamp" />
<meta content="2008-01-08 15:30:00" name="eprints.lastmod" />
<meta content="show" name="eprints.metadata_visibility" />
<meta content="Testosterone, ticks and travels: a test of the
immunocompetence–handicap hypothesis
in free-ranging male sand lizards" name="eprints.title" />
<meta content="pub" name="eprints.ispublished" />
<meta content="270604" name="eprints.subjects" />
<meta content="restricted" name="eprints.full_text_status" />
<meta content="immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis; sand lizard; mass loss; tick load
" name="eprints.keywords" />
<meta content="Copyright 2007 Royal Society of London." name="eprints.note" />
<meta content="The immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis suggests that androgen-dependent male characters
constitute honest signals of mate and/or rival quality because of the imposed costs through immune
suppression associated with elevated testosterone levels. We demonstrate in a field experiment that male
sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) exposed to elevated testosterone su¡ered from increased mass loss and tick
load compared to control males. Although the first of these two results could be due to an elevated basal
metabolic rate from increased plasma testosterone levels, the increased parasite load was statistically
independent of the loss in body condition and is likely to be due to compromised immune function.
Testosterone-treated males showed greater mobility than control males, and greater mobility resulted in
higher mating success. Our experiment thus lends support to the immunocompetence-handicap
hypothesis, suggesting that male testosterone levels have been moderated by balancing selection for
reproductive success and sustained immune function." name="eprints.abstract" />
<meta content="2000-11" name="eprints.date" />
<meta content="published" name="eprints.date_type" />
<meta content="Proceedings of the Royal Society - Biological Sciences (Series B)" name="eprints.publication" />
<meta content="267" name="eprints.volume" />
<meta content="1459" name="eprints.number" />
<meta content="2339-2343" name="eprints.pagerange" />
<meta content="10.1098/rspb.2000.1289" name="eprints.id_number" />
<meta content="TRUE" name="eprints.refereed" />
<meta content="0962-8452" name="eprints.issn" />
<meta content="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2000.1289" name="eprints.official_url" />
<meta content="Barnard, C. J., Behnke, J. M. & Sewell, J. 1994 Social behaviour
and susceptibility to infection in house mice (Mus domesticus):
effects of group size, aggressive behaviour and status related
to hormonal responses prior to infection on resistance to
Babesa microti. Parasitology 108, 487-496.
Bauwens, D., Strijbosch, H. & Stmpel, A. H. P. 1983 The
lizards Lacerta agilis and L. vivipara as hosts to larvae and
nymphs of the tick Ixodes ricinus. Holarctic Ecol. 6, 32-40.
Browning, M. & McMichael, A. 1996 HLA and MHC: genes,
molecules and function. Frome, UK: Bios Scientific Publishers.
Chandola, A., Kumar, D. S. & Thapliyal, J. P. 1974 Matbaloc
response to male hormone and thyroid activity in the Indian
green lizard, Calotes versicolor. J. Endocrinol. 61, 285-291.
Cooper Jr,W. E., Mendonca, M. T. & Vitt, L. J. 1987 Induction
of orange head coloration and activation of courtship and
aggression by testosterone in the male broad-headed skink
(Eumeces laticeps). J. Herpetol. 21, 96-101.
D|¨ az, J. A. 1993 Breeding coloration, mating opportunities,
activity, and survival in the lacertid lizard Psammodromus
algirus. Can. J. Zool. 71, 1104-1110.
Evans, M. R., Goldsmith, A. R. & Norris, S. R. A. 2000 The
effects of testosterone on antibody production and plumage
coloration in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Behav.
Ecol. Sociobiol. (In the press.)
Folstad, I. & Karter, A. J. 1992 Parasites, bright males and
immunocompetence handicap. Am. Nat. 139, 603-622.
Gullberg, A., Olsson, M. & TegelstrÎm, H. 1997 Male mating
success, reproductive success and multiple paternity in a natural population of sand lizards: behavioural and
molecular genetics data.Mol. Ecol. 6, 105-112.
Halliday, T. R. 1989 Sexual selection in amphibians and reptiles.
Plenary abstract. In First work congress of herpetology. Abstracts.
Milton Keynes, UK: The Open University.
Hasselqvist, D., Marsh, J. A., Sherman, P.W. & Wingfield, J. C.
1999 Is avian humoral immunocompetence suppressed by
testosterone? Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 45, 167-175.
Marler, C. A. & Moore, M. C. 1988 Evolutionary costs of
aggression revealed by testosterone manipulations in freeliving
male lizards. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 23, 21-26.
Marler, C. A. & Moore, M. C. 1989 Time and energy costs of
aggressionin testosterone-implantedfree-living male mountain
spiny lizards (Sceloporus jarrovi). Physiol. Zool. 62, 1334-1350.
Marler, C. A. & Moore, M. C. 1991 Supplementary feeding
compensates for testosterone-induced costs of aggression in
male mountain spiny lizards, Sceloporus jarrovi. Anim. Behav. 42,
209-219.
MÖller, A. P. 1990 Effects of haematophagous mite on the barn
swallow (Hirundo rustica): a test of the Hamilton and Zuk
hypothesis. Evolution 44, 771-784.
MÖller, A. P. & Erritzoe, J. 1996 Parasite virulence and host
immune defence: host immune response in relation to nest
reuse in birds. Evolution 50, 2066-2076.
Olsson, M. 1992 Sexual selection and reproductive strategies in the sand
lizard (Lacerta agilis). PhD thesis,University ofGÎteborg, Sweden.
Olsson, M. 1994 Nuptial coloration in the sand lizard, Lacerta
agilis: an intra-sexually selected cue to fighting ability. Anim.
Behav. 48, 607-613.
Olsson, M. & Madsen, T. 1998 Sexual selection and sperm
competition in reptiles. In Sexual selection and sperm competition
(ed. T. Birkhead & A. MÖller), pp. 503-564. London:
Academic Press.
Olsson, M. & Silverin, B. 1997 Effects of growth rate on variation
in breeding coloration in male sand lizards (Lacerta agilis:
Sauria). Copeia 1997, 456-460.
Olsson,M., Gullberg, A. & TegelstrÎm, H. 1996a Mate guarding
in male sand lizards (Lacerta agilis). Behaviour133, 367-386.
Olsson, M., Shine, R., Gullberg, A., Madsen, T. & TegelstrÎm,
H. 1996b Female lizards control the paternity of their
offspring by selective use of sperm. Nature 383, 585.
Reichenbach-Klinke, H. & Elkan, E. 1965 Diseases of reptiles.
Hong Kong:T. F. H. Publications.
Saino, N. & MÖller, A. P. 1994 Secondary sexual characters,
parasites and testosterone in the barn swallow. Anim. Behav.
48, 397-404.
Saino, N., MÖller, A. P. & Bolzern, A. M. 1995 Testosterone
effects on the immune system and parasite infestation of the
barn swallow (Hirundo rustica): an experimental test of the
immunocompetence hypothesis. Behav. Ecol. 6, 397-404.
Salvador, A.,Veiga, J. P., Martin, J., Lopez, P., Abelenda, M. &
Puerta, M. 1996 The cost of producing a sexual signal: testosterone
increases the susceptibility of male lizards to
ectoparasitic infestation. Behav. Ecol. 7, 145-150.
SAS 1990 SAS stat users guide. Release 6.03. Cary, NC: SAS
Institute, Inc.
Sinervo, B., Doughty, P., Huey, R. B. & Zamudio, K. 1992
Allometric engineering: a causal analysis of natural selection
on offspring size. Science 258, 1927-1930.
Svensson, E., RÔberg, L., Koch, C. & Hasselquist, D. 1998
Energetic stress, immunosuppression and the cost of an antibody
response. Funct. Ecol. 12, 912-919.
Thapliyal, J. P., Chandola, A., Suresh Kumar, D. & Oomen,
O. V. 1974 Testosterone versus thyroid hormone in the
regulation of oxidative metabolism in two species of reptiles.
J. Endocrinol. 63, 419-420.
Weatherhead, P. J., Metz, K. J., Bennett, G. F. & Irwin, R. E.
1993 Parasite faunas, testosterone and secondary sexual traits
in red-winged blackbirds. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 33, 13-23.
" name="eprints.referencetext" />
<meta content="Olsson, Mats and Wapstra, Erik and Madsen, Thomas and Silverin, Bengt (2000) Testosterone, ticks and travels: a test of the immunocompetence–handicap hypothesis in free-ranging male sand lizards. Proceedings of the Royal Society - Biological Sciences (Series B), 267 (1459). pp. 2339-2343. ISSN 0962-8452" name="eprints.citation" />
<meta content="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2421/1/2000OlssonetalProcRSoc.pdf" name="eprints.document_url" />
<link rel="schema.DC" href="http://purl.org/DC/elements/1.0/" />
<meta content="Testosterone, ticks and travels: a test of the
immunocompetence–handicap hypothesis
in free-ranging male sand lizards" name="DC.title" />
<meta content="Olsson, Mats" name="DC.creator" />
<meta content="Wapstra, Erik" name="DC.creator" />
<meta content="Madsen, Thomas" name="DC.creator" />
<meta content="Silverin, Bengt" name="DC.creator" />
<meta content="270604 Comparative Physiology" name="DC.subject" />
<meta content="The immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis suggests that androgen-dependent male characters
constitute honest signals of mate and/or rival quality because of the imposed costs through immune
suppression associated with elevated testosterone levels. We demonstrate in a field experiment that male
sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) exposed to elevated testosterone su¡ered from increased mass loss and tick
load compared to control males. Although the first of these two results could be due to an elevated basal
metabolic rate from increased plasma testosterone levels, the increased parasite load was statistically
independent of the loss in body condition and is likely to be due to compromised immune function.
Testosterone-treated males showed greater mobility than control males, and greater mobility resulted in
higher mating success. Our experiment thus lends support to the immunocompetence-handicap
hypothesis, suggesting that male testosterone levels have been moderated by balancing selection for
reproductive success and sustained immune function." name="DC.description" />
<meta content="2000-11" name="DC.date" />
<meta content="Article" name="DC.type" />
<meta content="PeerReviewed" name="DC.type" />
<meta content="application/pdf" name="DC.format" />
<meta content="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2421/1/2000OlssonetalProcRSoc.pdf" name="DC.identifier" />
<meta content="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2000.1289" name="DC.relation" />
<meta content="Olsson, Mats and Wapstra, Erik and Madsen, Thomas and Silverin, Bengt (2000) Testosterone, ticks and travels: a test of the immunocompetence–handicap hypothesis in free-ranging male sand lizards. Proceedings of the Royal Society - Biological Sciences (Series B), 267 (1459). pp. 2339-2343. ISSN 0962-8452" name="DC.identifier" />
<meta content="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2421/" name="DC.relation" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/BibTeX/epprod-eprint-2421.bib" title="BibTeX" type="text/plain" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/ContextObject/epprod-eprint-2421.xml" title="OpenURL ContextObject" type="text/xml" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/ContextObject::Dissertation/epprod-eprint-2421.xml" title="OpenURL Dissertation" type="text/xml" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/ContextObject::Journal/epprod-eprint-2421.xml" title="OpenURL Journal" type="text/xml" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/DC/epprod-eprint-2421.txt" title="Dublin Core" type="text/plain" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/DIDL/epprod-eprint-2421.xml" title="DIDL" type="text/xml" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/EndNote/epprod-eprint-2421.enw" title="EndNote" type="text/plain" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/HTML/epprod-eprint-2421.html" title="HTML Citation" type="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/METS/epprod-eprint-2421.xml" title="METS" type="text/xml" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/MODS/epprod-eprint-2421.xml" title="MODS" type="text/xml" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/RIS/epprod-eprint-2421.ris" title="Reference Manager" type="text/plain" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/Refer/epprod-eprint-2421.refer" title="Refer" type="text/plain" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/Simple/epprod-eprint-2421text" title="Simple Metadata" type="text/plain" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/Text/epprod-eprint-2421.txt" title="ASCII Citation" type="text/plain; charset=utf-8" />
<link rel="alternate" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/export/2421/XML/epprod-eprint-2421.xml" title="EP3 XML" type="text/xml" />
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" onLoad="loadRoutine(); MM_preloadImages('images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c5_f2.gif','images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c7_f2.gif','images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c8_f2.gif','images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c9_f2.gif','images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c10_f2.gif','images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c11_f2.gif','images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r6_c4_f2.gif')">
<div class="ep_noprint"><noscript><style type="text/css">@import url(http://eprints.utas.edu.au/style/nojs.css);</style></noscript></div>
<table width="795" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<td><script language="JavaScript1.2">mmLoadMenus();</script>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="795">
<!-- fwtable fwsrc="eprints_banner_final2.png" fwbase="ePrints_banner.gif" fwstyle="Dreamweaver" fwdocid = "1249563342" fwnested="0" -->
<tr>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="32" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="104" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="44" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="105" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="41" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="16" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="68" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="68" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="68" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="82" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="69" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="98" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="12"><img name="ePrints_banner_r1_c1" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r1_c1.gif" width="795" height="10" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="1" height="10" border="0" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="6"><img name="ePrints_banner_r2_c1" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r2_c1.gif" width="32" height="118" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td rowspan="5"><a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/"><img name="ePrints_banner_r2_c2" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r2_c2.gif" width="104" height="103" border="0" alt="" /></a></td>
<td colspan="10"><img name="ePrints_banner_r2_c3" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r2_c3.gif" width="659" height="41" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="1" height="41" border="0" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3"><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/"><img name="ePrints_banner_r3_c3" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r3_c3.gif" width="190" height="31" border="0" alt="" /></a></td>
<td rowspan="2" colspan="7"><img name="ePrints_banner_r3_c6" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r3_c6.gif" width="469" height="37" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="1" height="31" border="0" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3"><img name="ePrints_banner_r4_c3" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r4_c3.gif" width="190" height="6" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="1" height="6" border="0" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"><img name="ePrints_banner_r5_c3" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c3.gif" width="149" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td rowspan="2" colspan="2"><a href="/information.html" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore();MM_startTimeout()" onMouseOver="MM_showMenu(window.mm_menu_0821132634_0,0,25,null,'ePrints_banner_r5_c5');MM_swapImage('ePrints_banner_r5_c5','','/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c5_f2.gif',1);"><img name="ePrints_banner_r5_c5" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c5.gif" width="57" height="25" border="0" alt="About" /></a></td>
<td rowspan="2"><a href="/view/" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore();MM_startTimeout()" onMouseOver="MM_showMenu(window.mm_menu_0821133021_1,0,25,null,'ePrints_banner_r5_c7');MM_swapImage('ePrints_banner_r5_c7','','/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c7_f2.gif',1);"><img name="ePrints_banner_r5_c7" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c7.gif" width="68" height="25" border="0" alt="Browse" /></a></td>
<td rowspan="2"><a href="/perl/search/simple" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore();MM_startTimeout()" onMouseOver="MM_showMenu(window.mm_menu_0821133201_2,0,25,null,'ePrints_banner_r5_c8');MM_swapImage('ePrints_banner_r5_c8','','/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c8_f2.gif',1);"><img name="ePrints_banner_r5_c8" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c8.gif" width="68" height="25" border="0" alt="Search" /></a></td>
<td rowspan="2"><a href="/perl/register" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore();MM_startTimeout();" onMouseOver="MM_showMenu(window.mm_menu_1018171924_3,0,25,null,'ePrints_banner_r5_c9');MM_swapImage('ePrints_banner_r5_c9','','/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c9_f2.gif',1);"><img name="ePrints_banner_r5_c9" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c9.gif" width="68" height="25" border="0" alt="register" /></a></td>
<td rowspan="2"><a href="/perl/users/home" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore();MM_startTimeout()" onMouseOver="MM_showMenu(window.mm_menu_0821133422_4,0,25,null,'ePrints_banner_r5_c10');MM_swapImage('ePrints_banner_r5_c10','','/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c10_f2.gif',1);"><img name="ePrints_banner_r5_c10" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c10.gif" width="82" height="25" border="0" alt="user area" /></a></td>
<td rowspan="2"><a href="/help/" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore();MM_startTimeout()" onMouseOver="MM_showMenu(window.mm_menu_0821133514_5,0,25,null,'ePrints_banner_r5_c11');MM_swapImage('ePrints_banner_r5_c11','','/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c11_f2.gif',1);"><img name="ePrints_banner_r5_c11" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c11.gif" width="69" height="25" border="0" alt="Help" /></a></td>
<td rowspan="3" colspan="4"><img name="ePrints_banner_r5_c12" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r5_c12.gif" width="98" height="40" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2"><img name="ePrints_banner_r6_c3" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r6_c3.gif" width="44" height="39" border="0" alt="ePrints home" /></td>
<td><a href="/" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore()" onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('ePrints_banner_r6_c4','','/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r6_c4_f2.gif',1);"><img name="ePrints_banner_r6_c4" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r6_c4.gif" width="105" height="24" border="0" alt="ePrints home" /></a></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="1" height="24" border="0" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><img name="ePrints_banner_r7_c2" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r7_c2.gif" width="104" height="15" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td colspan="8"><img name="ePrints_banner_r7_c4" src="/images/eprints/ePrints_banner_r7_c4.gif" width="517" height="15" border="0" alt="" /></td>
<td><img src="/images/eprints/spacer.gif" width="1" height="15" border="0" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
</table></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><table width="100%" style="font-size: 90%; border: solid 1px #ccc; padding: 3px"><tr>
<td align="left"><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/users/home">Login</a> | <a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/register">Create Account</a></td>
<td align="right" style="white-space: nowrap">
<form method="get" accept-charset="utf-8" action="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/search" style="display:inline">
<input class="ep_tm_searchbarbox" size="20" type="text" name="q" />
<input class="ep_tm_searchbarbutton" value="Search" type="submit" name="_action_search" />
<input type="hidden" name="_order" value="bytitle" />
<input type="hidden" name="basic_srchtype" value="ALL" />
<input type="hidden" name="_satisfyall" value="ALL" />
</form>
</td>
</tr></table></td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="toplinks"><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="content" -->
<div align="center">
<table width="720" class="ep_tm_main"><tr><td align="left">
<h1 class="ep_tm_pagetitle">Testosterone, ticks and travels: a test of the immunocompetence–handicap hypothesis in free-ranging male sand lizards</h1>
<p style="margin-bottom: 1em" class="not_ep_block"><span class="person_name">Olsson, Mats</span> and <span class="person_name">Wapstra, Erik</span> and <span class="person_name">Madsen, Thomas</span> and <span class="person_name">Silverin, Bengt</span> (2000) <xhtml:em>Testosterone, ticks and travels: a test of the immunocompetence–handicap hypothesis in free-ranging male sand lizards.</xhtml:em> Proceedings of the Royal Society - Biological Sciences (Series B), 267 (1459). pp. 2339-2343. ISSN 0962-8452</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em" class="not_ep_block"></p><table style="margin-bottom: 1em" class="not_ep_block"><tr><td valign="top" style="text-align:center"><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2421/1/2000OlssonetalProcRSoc.pdf"><img alt="[img]" src="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png" class="ep_doc_icon" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top"><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2421/1/2000OlssonetalProcRSoc.pdf"><span class="ep_document_citation">PDF</span></a> - Full text restricted - Requires a PDF viewer<br />179Kb</td><td><form method="get" accept-charset="utf-8" action="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/request_doc"><input accept-charset="utf-8" value="3128" name="docid" type="hidden" /><div class=""><input value="Request a copy" name="_action_null" class="ep_form_action_button" onclick="return EPJS_button_pushed( '_action_null' )" type="submit" /> </div></form></td></tr></table><p style="margin-bottom: 1em" class="not_ep_block">Official URL: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2000.1289">http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2000.1289</a></p><div class="not_ep_block"><h2>Abstract</h2><p style="padding-bottom: 16px; text-align: left; margin: 1em auto 0em auto">The immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis suggests that androgen-dependent male characters
constitute honest signals of mate and/or rival quality because of the imposed costs through immune
suppression associated with elevated testosterone levels. We demonstrate in a field experiment that male
sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) exposed to elevated testosterone su¡ered from increased mass loss and tick
load compared to control males. Although the first of these two results could be due to an elevated basal
metabolic rate from increased plasma testosterone levels, the increased parasite load was statistically
independent of the loss in body condition and is likely to be due to compromised immune function.
Testosterone-treated males showed greater mobility than control males, and greater mobility resulted in
higher mating success. Our experiment thus lends support to the immunocompetence-handicap
hypothesis, suggesting that male testosterone levels have been moderated by balancing selection for
reproductive success and sustained immune function.</p></div><table style="margin-bottom: 1em" cellpadding="3" class="not_ep_block" border="0"><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Item Type:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">Article</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Additional Information:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">Copyright 2007 Royal Society of London.</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Keywords:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis; sand lizard; mass loss; tick load
</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Subjects:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row"><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/view/subjects/270604.html">270000 Biological Sciences > 270600 Physiology > 270604 Comparative Physiology</a></td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">ID Code:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">2421</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Deposited By:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row"><span class="ep_name_citation"><span class="person_name">Dr Erik Wapstra</span></span></td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Deposited On:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">15 Nov 2007 14:07</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Last Modified:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">09 Jan 2008 02:30</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">ePrint Statistics:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row"><a target="ePrintStats" href="/es/index.php?action=show_detail_eprint;id=2421;">View statistics for this ePrint</a></td></tr></table><p align="right">Repository Staff Only: <a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/users/home?screen=EPrint::View&eprintid=2421">item control page</a></p>
</td></tr></table>
</div>
<!-- InstanceEndEditable --></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/footer_eprints.lbi" -->
<table width="795" border="0" align="left" cellpadding="0" class="footer">
<tr valign="top">
<td colspan="2"><div align="center"><a href="http://www.utas.edu.au">UTAS home</a> | <a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/library/">Library home</a> | <a href="/">ePrints home</a> | <a href="/contact.html">contact</a> | <a href="/information.html">about</a> | <a href="/view/">browse</a> | <a href="/perl/search/simple">search</a> | <a href="/perl/register">register</a> | <a href="/perl/users/home">user area</a> | <a href="/help/">help</a></div><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"><p><img src="/images/eprints/footerline.gif" width="100%" height="4" /></p></td></tr>
<tr valign="top">
<td width="68%" class="footer">Authorised by the University Librarian<br />
© University of Tasmania ABN 30 764 374 782<br />
<a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/cricos/">CRICOS Provider Code 00586B</a> | <a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/copyright/copyright_disclaimers.html">Copyright & Disclaimers</a> | <a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/accessibility/index.html">Accessibility</a> | <a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/feedback/">Site Feedback</a> </td>
<td width="32%"><div align="right">
<p align="right" class="NoPrint"><a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/"><img src="http://www.utas.edu.au/shared/logos/unioftasstrip.gif" alt="University of Tasmania Home Page" width="260" height="16" border="0" align="right" /></a></p>
<p align="right" class="NoPrint"><a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/"><br />
</a></p>
</div></td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top">
<td><p> </p></td>
<td><div align="right"><span class="NoPrint"><a href="http://www.eprints.org/software/"><img src="/images/eprintslogo.gif" alt="ePrints logo" width="77" height="29" border="0" align="bottom" /></a></span></div></td>
</tr>
</table>
<!-- #EndLibraryItem -->
<div align="center"></div></td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
