Effects of Egg and Circulating Testosterone on Ring‐Necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Male Traits and Combat Outcome

摘要: Studies of avian species have shown that maternal effects mediated by the transfer egg hormones can profoundly affect offspring phenotype and fitness. We previously demonstrated injection a physiological amount testosterone (T) in eggs ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) disrupted covariation among male morphological traits at sexual maturity positively affected mating success. Here, we investigate whether T exposure adult circulating levels onset breeding season (reflecting gonadal maturation), relationship between traits. Egg did not pre-mating plasma T. were associated with expression secondary non-sexual or socio-sexual behaviour (social rank, overall fighting ability success). However, wattle brightness decreased increasing males hatched from T-eggs (T-males) but control males. In dyadic encounters during peak period, higher premating had chances being dominant over other predict success male-male competition involving T-males. suggest long-term on do originate differential maturation according to treatment. Rather, prenatal androgens may priming functioning target tissues, translating into phenotypic androgen embryonic development.