Testosterone changes the electric organ discharge and external morphology of the mormyrid fish, Gnathonemus petersii (Mormyriformes).
Effects of silastic and pellet methyltestosterone implants on the waveform of the electric organ discharge of the weakly electric African mormyrid, Gnathonemus petersii, were investigated. Within seven days of implantation, the duration of the discharge increased dramatically while the associated peak power frequency of the Fourier spectrum decreased in all treated fish. By day 35, hormone-treated fish exhibited up to five-fold increases in EOD duration, as well as multiple discharges and variations in the shape of the positive phase of the discharge. Testosterone treatment also changed body morphology, making immature and adult female fish resemble adult males.
Landsman
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Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York.
Moller
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D000818:Animals; D004555:Electric Fish / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D004557:Electric Organ / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008777:Methyltestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D008777:Methyltestosterone