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Offspring sex in a TSD gecko correlates with an interaction between incubation temperature and yolk steroid hormones

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Abstract

We incubated eggs of the Japanese gecko Gekko japonicus at three temperatures, and measured yolk testosterone (T) and 17β-estradiol (E2) levels at three time points in embryonic development (oviposition, 1/3 of incubation, and 2/3 of incubation), to examine whether maternal influence on offspring sex via yolk steroid hormone deposition is significant in the species. Eggs incubated at 24 °C and 32 °C produced mostly females, and eggs incubated at 28 °C almost a 50:50 sex ratio of hatchlings. Female-producing eggs were larger than male-producing eggs. Clutches in which eggs were incubated at the same temperature produced mostly same-sex siblings. Yolk T level at laying was negatively related to eggs mass, and yolk E2/T ratio was positively related to egg mass. Results of two-way ANOVA with incubation temperature and stage as the factors show that: yolk E2 level was higher at 32 °C than at 24 °C; yolk T level was higher, whereas yolk E2/T ratio was smaller, at 28 °C than at 24 °C; yolk E2 and T levels were higher at 2/3 than at 1/3 of incubation. Our data in G. japonucus show that: (1) maternal influence on offspring sex via yolk steroid hormone deposition is significant; (2) incubation temperature affects the dynamics of developmental changes in yolk steroid hormones; (3) influences of yolk steroid hormones on offspring sex are secondary relative to incubation temperature effects; and (4) offspring sex correlates with an interaction between incubation temperature and yolk steroid hormones.

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Acknowledgements

Our experimental procedures complied with the current laws on animal welfare and research in China, and were specifically approved by the Animal Research Ethics Committee of Nanjing Normal University (Permit No. AREC 2009-11-015). Funding for this work was supported by grants from Natural Science Foundation of China (30670281 and 31060064), Innovative Team Project of Nanjing Normal University (0319 PM0902) and Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (CXLX11_0885). We thank Tian-Bao Fu, Lai-Gao Luo, Yan-Yan Sun, Yan-Qing Wu and Zong-Shi Zhou for their help during the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, Jiangsu, China

    Guo-Hua Ding, Jing Yang, Jin Wang & Xiang Ji

  2. College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China

    Guo-Hua Ding

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  1. Guo-Hua Ding
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  2. Jing Yang
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  3. Jin Wang
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  4. Xiang Ji
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Correspondence to Xiang Ji.

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Communicated by: Sven Thatje

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Ding, GH., Yang, J., Wang, J. et al. Offspring sex in a TSD gecko correlates with an interaction between incubation temperature and yolk steroid hormones. Naturwissenschaften 99, 999–1006 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-0981-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-0981-6

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