The Herpetological Journal
The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.
ISSN 0268-0130
2021 Impact Factor from Clarivate for the Herpetological Journal is 1.194, an increase of 0.332 from 2020.
pdf 04. Intersexual differences in response to an immune challenge in the frog Xenopus laevis
2 downloads
Subscription / purchase required
pp. 127-135
Authors: Thaysa G. Oliveira, Laurie Araspin, Carlos A. Navas & Anthony Herrel
Abstract: Activities such as locomotion and reproduction, as well as immune responses, require energy and metabolites, which can lead to conflicts in the allocation of these resources. Consequently, the allocation of energy and metabolites can limit immune response or activity patterns, resulting in trade-offs. In most sick animals immune responses include behavioural depression and consequently reduced activity, perhaps enhancing resource conservation and promoting activation of the immune system. These trade-offs mediated by reduction in activity may differ between males and females due to differences in energy expenditure primarily linked to reproduction. Therefore, we investigated the effect of a simulated infection on the locomotor performance and voluntary movement of males and females of the species Xenopus laevis. We analysed locomotor endurance, jump force and voluntary activity before and after a simulated infection through injections of LPS (endotoxins from the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria). Our results showed that locomotor performance and jump force decreased after simulated infection in both sexes. Furthermore, the magnitude of the responses differed between the sexes. Females of X. laevis exhibited greater reductions in performance and jump force, which may be related to differential energy allocation, including a greater investment in gamete production by females, leading individuals to be more immunocompetent than males. Unexpectedly, and independently of sex, the simulated infection had no impact on most variables pertaining to voluntary movement, suggesting that behavioural depression did not occur. Only the number of breaths increased after the infection, with this increase being more pronounced in females, suggesting a greater energy requirement in females in the face of an immune challenge.
Keywords: amphibians, behavioural depression, energetic resources, immune system, locomotion
Download Access:
The latest 8 issues can be downloaded when logged in with a Herpetological Journal subscription membership.
Individual articles can be purchased for download.
Older issues and occasional Open Access articles are available for public download
Submissions:
For further information and submission guidelines please see our Journal Instructions to Authors
Latest Issue
IMPORTANT NOTE - JUNE 2020
Please note that as from Volume 31 Number 1 (January 2021) on, the Herpetological Journal will be available as an online publication only - the last print edition will be Volume 30 Number 4.
Aligning with this change, it is now no longer possible to purchase a subscription that includes a print copy of the HJ. All members who have existing HJ print subscriptions that remain active as at end June 2020 will receive the full four 2020 print editions. New subscribers or renewals after this time will only have option to subscribe to the online only subscription package. Subscription pricing has been amended to reflect the content changes.