Hormones and the neuromuscular control of courtship in the golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus)

• Manakins perform elaborate courtship displays with visual and acoustic signals.
• Females copulate with males based on behaviors that reflect neuromuscular quality.
• Displays are activated by testosterone, primarily via androgen receptors (AR).
• AR are expressed abundantly in tissues that define a neuromuscular circuit.
• Questions to guide future research on courtship neuroendocrinology are included.

Many animals engage in spectacular courtship displays, likely recruiting specialized neural, hormonal and muscular systems to facilitate these performances. Male golden-collared manakins (Manacus vitellinus) of Panamanian rainforests perform physically elaborate courtship displays that include novel forms of visual and acoustic signaling. We study the behavioral neuroendocrinology of this male’s courtship, combining field behavioral observations with anatomical, biochemical and molecular laboratory-based studies. Seasonally, male courtship is activated by testosterone with little correspondence between testosterone levels and display intensity. Females prefer males whose displays are exceptionally frequent, fast and accurate. The activation of androgen receptors (AR) is crucial for optimal display performance, with AR expressed at elevated levels in several neuromuscular tissues. Apparently, courtship enlists an elaborate androgen-dependent network that includes spinal motoneurons, skeletal muscles and somatosensory systems. This work highlights the value of studying non-traditional species to illuminate physiological adaptations and, hopefully, stimulates future research on other species with complex behaviors.