Editing Amplexus (section)

=== Hormones ===
Two major hormones have been identified to be involved in amplexus. The hormone arginine vasotocin (AVT) has been identified as having an effect on the calling behaviours produced by these male amphibians when searching for a female mate, as AVT increased the amount of calling behaviour produced in male amphibians.<ref name=":2" /> Additionally, it is believed that the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) has an influence on amplexus in amphibians, as it has been found to produce or initiate this behaviour in many anuran amphibians.<ref name=":2" /> Furthermore, both arginine vasotocin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone have been found to be involved in the sexual behaviour of male amphibians.<ref name=":2" /> The stress hormone corticosterone has also been identified as associated with the sexual behaviour of amplexus. A study conducted on red-spotted newts found an acute increase in corticosterone for both males and females who were engaged in the behaviour of amplexus.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last1=Reedy|first1=Aaron M.|last2=Edwards|first2=Alex|last3=Pendlebury|first3=Chloe|last4=Murdaugh|first4=Laura|last5=Avery|first5=Ryan|last6=Seidenberg|first6=Jake|last7=Aspbury|first7=Andrea S.|last8=Gabor|first8=Caitlin R.|date=2014|title=An acute increase in the stress hormone corticosterone is associated with mating behavior in both male and female red-spotted newts, Notophthalmus viridescens|journal=General and Comparative Endocrinology|volume=208|pages=57–63|doi=10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.08.008|pmid=25157790|issn=0016-6480}}</ref> However, overall it was found that males have a higher level of corticosterone compared to females, as amplexus is seen as more energetically costly to males.<ref name=":5" /> The increase in corticosterone found in females could be attributed to amplexus preventing them from foraging for food.<ref name=":5" />