Induction of oviposition in cycling Anolis carolinensis requires a beta-adrenoreceptor blocker and a high dosage of arginine vasotocin.

In a previous study, a high dosage (2.0 micrograms) of arginine vasotocin (AVT), following 10 micrograms of dichloroisoproterenol, induced oviposition in Anolis carolinensis at the end of the breeding season. The present study determined if a lower dosage of AVT (0.25 microgram), comparable to that effective in other lizard species, would induce oviposition in cycling A. carolinensis. Only a high dosage of AVT (2.0 micrograms), following 10 micrograms of dichloroisoproterenol 15 min beforehand, induced oviposition. These results suggest that uterine smooth muscle of A. carolinensis is relatively insensitive to AVT.