Data from: Testosterone activates sexual dimorphism including male-typical carotenoid but not melanin plumage pigmentation in a female bird

In males it is frequently testosterone (T) that activates the expression of sexually selected morphological and behavioral displays, but the role of T in regulating similar traits in females is less clear. Here we combine correlational data with results from T and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) manipulations in both sexes to assess the role of T in mediating sexually dimorphic coloration and morphology in the red-backed fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus). We show that (1) natural variation in female expression of ornamental traits (darkened bills and red back feathers) are positively associated with age and circulating androgen titres, (2) females have the capacity to express most male-typical traits in response to exogenous T, including carotenoid-pigmented body plumage, shorter feathers, darkened bill, and enlarged cloacal protuberance, but (3) appear constrained in production of male-typical melanin-pigmented plumage, and (4) low androgen levels during the pre-nuptial molt, probably due to low ovarian capacity for steroid production (or LH-sensitivity), prevent females from developing male-like ornamentation. Thus, females appear to retain molecular mechanism for hormonally regulated male-typical ornamentation, although these are rarely activated because of insufficient production of the hormonal signal.在雄性个体中，通常是睾酮（testosterone，T）介导了性选择偏好的形态与行为展示的表达，但睾酮在调控雌性同类性状中发挥的作用仍不甚明晰。本研究将相关数据与雌雄个体的睾酮及促性腺激素释放激素（gonadotropin-releasing hormone，GnRH）操控实验结果相结合，以评估睾酮在红背细尾鹩莺（Malurus melanocephalus）性二态着色与形态特征介导中的作用。我们的研究结果显示： 1. 雌性装饰性性状（黑化喙部与红色背羽）的表达自然变异，与年龄及循环雄激素水平呈正相关； 2. 雌性具备响应外源性睾酮表达多数雄性典型性状的能力，包括类胡萝卜素着色的体羽、更短的羽毛、黑化喙部以及膨大的泄殖腔突； 3. 但在产生雄性典型的黑色素着色羽色方面似乎存在约束； 4. 繁殖前换羽期间的雄激素水平较低，这大概率源于卵巢类固醇生成能力（或黄体生成素（LH）敏感性）低下，进而阻碍雌性发育出雄性样的装饰性状。 综上，雌性似乎保留了受激素调控的雄性典型装饰性状的分子机制，不过由于激素信号生成不足，这些机制极少被激活。