@article {7483,
	title = {Copy number variation in the melanocortin 4 receptor gene and alternative reproductive tactics the swordtail Xiphophorus multilineatus},
	journal = {Environmental Biology of Fishes},
	volume = {98},
	number = {1},
	year = {2015},
	month = {Jan 2015},
	pages = {23-33},
	abstract = {Alternative reproductive tactics are powerful examples of how variation in genetics and physiology among individuals can lead to striking diversity in phenotype. In the swordtails (genus\&nbsp;Xiphophorus), copy number variation (CNV) at the melanocortin 4 receptor (mc4r) locus is correlated with male body size, which in turn is correlated with male mating behavior. We measured the relationship between\&nbsp;mc4r\&nbsp;CNV, behavior, and 11-ketotesterone (11-KT) in\&nbsp;X. multilineatus\&nbsp;to determine whether\&nbsp;mc4r\&nbsp;CNV was associated with other components of male tactics in addition to body size. We confirmed the results of previous studies, showing that male size increases with\&nbsp;mc4r\&nbsp;CNV and that mating behavior toward females was size-dependent. We also examined agonistic behavior by exposing males to their mirror image and found that male-male displays behavior were size-dependent. Small males were less likely to exhibit an agonistic response, suggesting that alternative reproductive tactics span intrasexual and intersexual contexts. There was no significant association between\&nbsp;mc4r\&nbsp;CNV and behavior or 11-KT hormone titer.\&nbsp;Mc4r\&nbsp;CNV is thus associated with the variation in male body size, but not with other traits independent of body size.},
	url = {http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-014-0234-y},
	author = {Smith, C. C. and Harris, R. M. and Lampert, K. P. and Schartl, M. and Hofmann, H. A. and Ryan, M. J.}
}
