Interaction of surgical deafening and photoperiod on cloacal gland and testes size in Japanese quail.
Two experiments were conducted to further examine the interaction of social stimuli and photoperiod on cloacal and gonadal responses in male Japanese quail. In experiment 1, adult males kept on a maximal (15L:9D) stimulatory photoperiod were surgically deafened and/or visually isolated from roommates. After 6 weeks, there were no differences in cloacal gland or testes size among visually isolated birds, deafened birds, visually isolated and deafened birds, and control birds. It would appear that neither auditory nor visual contact with other males is necessary to maintain reproductive activity under a maximal stimulatory photoperiod. In Experiment 2, 5-week-old males were surgically deafened and kept on either a maximal (15L:9D) or minimal (12L:12D) stimulatory photoperiod for about 10 weeks. The rates of cloacal gland growth were significantly slower in birds kept on the shorter photoperiod compared to the longer photoperiod and in deafened quail compared to intact quail. The difference in cloacal gland size between deafened and intact birds was markedly greater on the minimal compared to the maximal stimulatory photoperiod. These findings suggest that under a minimal stimulatory photoperiod auditory information supplements the photoperiod to accelerate reproductive maturation. At a maximal stimulatory photoperiod, however, the effects of auditory cues on cloacal gland growth appear masked.
Kerlan
J T
JT
Department of Biology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, New York 14456.
Blumenthal
D C
DC
Gilsdorf
J T
JT
Greenspon
J M
JM
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D002988:Cloaca / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003370:Coturnix / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D003638:Deafness; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000528:radiation effects; D010507:Periodicity; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011784:Quail / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction; D012931:Social Environment; D012934:Social Isolation; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology