Estrogen localization in the brain of the lizard, Anolis carolinensis (1).

Estrogen induces reproductive behavior in lizards by acting on specific areas of the brain. Neural areas that selectively concentrate radioactivity after 3-h-estradiol administration were mapped using thawmount autoradiography. Major accumulations of hormone-concentrating cells occur in the medial preoptic area, basal hypothalamus, amygdala (n. vetromedialis telencephali) and in and around the torus semicircularis. Numerous smaller accumulations are also described and the topographical distribution is compared with that of avian and mammalian species.