Evolutionary insights into sexual behavior from whiptail lizards. Issue 1 (30th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Connell, Lauren A.; Crews, David
• Other Names: Nelson Randy J. guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of experimental zoology. Volume 337:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 88
• Page End: 98
• Publication Date: 2021-04-30
• Subjects: dopamine -- evolution -- hormones -- neuronal nitric oxide synthase -- parthenogenesis -- social behavior network; Zoology -- Periodicals; Zoology; Animal Population Groups -- physiology; Zoology; Electronic journals; Periodical; Periodicals; 590
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.2467
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2471-5646

Abstract

Abstract: Is the brain bipotential or is sex‐typical behavior determined during development? Thirty years of research in whiptail lizards transformed the field of behavioral neuroscience to show the brain is indeed bipotential, producing behaviors along a spectrum of male‐typical and female‐typical behavior via a parliamentary system of neural networks and not a predetermined program of constrained behavioral output. The unusual clade of whiptail lizards gave these insights as there are several parthenogenetic all‐female species that display both male‐typical and female‐typical sexual behavior. These descendant species exist alongside their ancestors, allowing a unique perspective into how brain–behavior relationships evolve. In this review, we celebrate the over 40‐year career of David Crews, beginning with the story of how he established whiptails as a model system through serendipitous behavioral observations and ending with advice to young scientists formulating their own questions. In between these personal notes, we discuss the discoveries that integrated hormones, neural activity, and gene expression to provide transformative insights into how brains function and reshaped our understanding of sexuality. Abstract : In this review, we celebrate the over 40‐year career of David Crews, who integrated hormones, neural activity, and gene expression to provide transformative insights into how brains function and reshaped our understanding of sexuality. Research Highlights: We summarize and celebrate 30 years of whiptail lizard research by David Crews. Ancestral sexual and descendent parthenogenetic species allow comparative evolution studies. Whiptail lizards demonstrate the brain and gonads are bipotential and that sexuality is flexible.