Short social interactions in male Japanese Quail fail to influence temporal dynamics of testicular and adrenocortical activities irrespective of photoperiodic reproductive status

Abstract

This study evaluates whether short daily male conspecific visits influence the dynamics of endocrine testicular and adrenal photo-responsiveness. A group of male Japanese Quail was exposed to short photoperiods and another group to long photoperiods. The quail exposed to short photoperiods were classified as responsive (SD-R) or non-responsive (SD-NR), depending on whether or not they lost their reproductive condition after 5 weeks of short days (SD). Individuals kept on a long photoperiod were used as controls (LD). After photoperiodic classification and during four consecutive days, individually-caged SDR, SD-NR and LD resident male quail received 5-min visits from photo-stimulated (and therefore sexually active) male quail (social treatment). Cloacal gland volume (CGV), and androgen and corticosterone metabolites (AM and CM, respectively) in droppings were measured bi-weekly and evaluated by repeated measures ANOVA over a 6-week period. Immediately after photoperiodic classification and before social treatment, CGV, AM and CM values showed a SD-R<SD-NR<LD pattern (P<0.001). Along SD exposure, SD-NR quail showed spontaneous cloacal gland recovery and AM and CM concentrations were found to be similar to those of the LD quail. At the end of the study, the SD-R group had still not recovered LD control values. Although the social treatment induced an overall main effect on AM (P<0.02) and CM concentrations (P<0.009), these changes were not related to a particular photoperiodic treatment. These findings provide a novel insight into the social modulation of reproductive and adrenocortical responses, particularly during transition from the photosensitive state to photorefractoriness.