کد مقاله | کد نشریه | سال انتشار | مقاله انگلیسی | نسخه تمام متن |
---|---|---|---|---|
2193516 | 1098382 | 2014 | 5 صفحه PDF | دانلود رایگان |
![عکس صفحه اول مقاله: Seasonal changes in testosterone levels in wild Mexican cottontails Sylvilagus cunicularius Seasonal changes in testosterone levels in wild Mexican cottontails Sylvilagus cunicularius](/preview/png/2193516.png)
We studied serum testosterone levels in the endemic Mexican cottontail, Sylvilagus cunicularius, which has been reported to show seasonal breeding. Animals were trapped in the wild and in a field enclosure in the National Park La Malinche in central Mexico over a period of five years. Serum testosterone (T) levels were quantified by ELISA from blood samples. T levels of adult males were lowest around 4 months after the onset of the annual reproductive season and were already high prior to the onset of breeding. As expected, the T levels of adult females were consistently lower than in males, and there were no differences in T level with respect to female reproductive state. There were no detectable sex-specific differences in juveniles and subadults, but there was a marked increase in T levels between juvenile and adult males. Overall, our study clearly reflects and confirms the seasonal breeding strategy of this species, showing high similarities to the much better studied European rabbit.
Journal: Mammalian Biology - Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde - Volume 79, Issue 4, June 2014, Pages 225–229