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PLoS One

Title:		An androgenic agricultural contaminant impairs female reproductive behaviour in a freshwater fish
Author(s):		Saaristo M; Tomkins P; Allinson M; Allinson G; Wong BB;
Address:		"School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. minna.saaristo@monash.edu"
Journal Title:		PLoS One
Year:		2013
Volume:		20130503
Issue:		5
Page Number:		e62782 -
DOI:		10.1371/journal.pone.0062782
ISSN/ISBN:		1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a large group of environmental pollutants that can interfere with the endocrine system function of organisms at very low levels. One compound of great concern is trenbolone, which is widely used as a growth promoter in the cattle industry in many parts of the world. The aim of this study was to test how short-term (21-day) exposure to an environmentally relevant concentration of 17beta-trenbolone (measured concentration 6 ng/L) affects reproductive behaviour and fin morphology in the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). The mosquitofish is a sexually dimorphic livebearer with males inseminating females using their modified anal fin, the gonopodium, as an intromittent organ. Although the species has a coercive mating system, females are able to exert some control over the success of male mating attempts by selectively associating with, or avoiding, certain males over others. We found that females exposed to trenbolone approached males less and spent more time swimming away from males than non-exposed (control) females. By contrast, we found no difference in the behaviour of exposed and non-exposed males. Furthermore, exposure did not affect the anal fin morphology of males or females. This is the first study to demonstrate that exposure to an androgenic EDC can impair female (but not male) behaviour. Our study illustrates how anthropogenic contaminants can have sex-specific effects, and highlights the need to examine the behavioural responses of environmental contaminants in both sexes"
Keywords:		"Agrochemicals/toxicity Anabolic Agents/*toxicity Androgens/*toxicity Animals Cyprinodontiformes/anatomy & histology/*physiology Endocrine Disruptors/toxicity Female Male Sexual Behavior, Animal/*drug effects Trenbolone Acetate/*toxicity Water Pollutants, ;"
Notes:		"MedlineSaaristo, Minna Tomkins, Patrick Allinson, Mayumi Allinson, Graeme Wong, Bob B M eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2013/05/15 PLoS One. 2013 May 3; 8(5):e62782. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062782. Print 2013"