Arginine vasotocin impacts chemosensory behavior during social interactions of Anolis carolinensis lizards

Abstract

In reptiles, arginine vasotocin (AVT) impacts the performance of and response to visual social signals, but whether AVT also operates within the chemosensory system as arginine vasopressin (AVP) does in mammals is unknown, despite social odors being potent modifiers of competitive and appetitive behavior in reptiles. Here, we ask whether elevated levels of exogenous AVT impact rates of chemical display behavior (e.g. tongue flicks) in adult males, and whether conspecific males or females can chemically discriminate between competitor males based on differing levels of exogenous AVT in green anoles (Anolis carolinensis). We injected wild-caught green anole males with either AVT (AVT-Males) or a vehicle control (CON-Males) solution, then presented treated males with a conspecific stimulus (Intruder-Male or Intruder-Female) and filmed 30-minute interactions. We found that AVT-Males were faster than CON-Males to perform a tongue flick to conspecifics, and faster to chemically display toward Intruder-Females, suggesting AVT increased male interest in available chemical information during social encounters. Intruders performed more lip smack behavior when interacting with AVT-Males than with CON-Males, and Intruder-Males performed more tongue flick behavior when interacting with AVT-Males than with CON-Males, suggesting anoles can discriminate between conspecifics based on exogenous AVT levels. We also found a reduction in Intruder movement behavior when Intruders were paired with AVT-Males. This study provides empirical support for AVT-mediated chemosensory behavior in reptilian social interactions, in a microsmatic lizard species, suggesting the mechanism by which mammalian AVP and non-mammalian AVT mediate chemosensory behavior during social interactions may be evolutionarily conserved.

Keywords: Anolis; Arginine vasotocin; Chemical communication; Lizard; Locomotion; Tongue flick.