| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2800003 | General and Comparative Endocrinology | 2015 | 6 Pages |
•Newts performing antipredator behavior have elevated CORT levels.•The duration of time engaging in the behavior is not correlated with CORT levels.•Neither CORT nor behavior is associated with levels of toxin in newt skin.•Exogenous application of CORT and ACTH suppress antipredator behavior.•In CORT-treated animals, CORT is correlated with time in antipredator behavior.
A variety of mechanisms are responsible for enabling an organism to escape a predatory attack, including behavioral changes, alterations in hormone levels, and production and/or secretion of toxins. However, these mechanisms are rarely studied in conjunction with each other. The Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa) is an ideal organism to examine the relationships between these mechanisms because its behavioral displays and toxin secretion during a predator attack are well documented and readily characterized. While we found no direct relationship between antipredator behavior and endogenous levels of corticosterone (CORT), antipredator behavior was inhibited when exogenous CORT and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were administered, resulting in high circulating concentrations of CORT, indicating that CORT may play a role in mediating the behavior. There was no correlation between the animal’s toxicity and either CORT or behavior. The results of this study provide evidence that CORT plays an important, yet complex, role in the antipredator response of these amphibians.
