Literaturdatenbank
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Mendonça, M. T. (1987). Timing of reproductive behavior in male musk turtles, sternotherus odoratus: effects of photoperiod, temperature, and testosterone. Animal Behaviour, 35(4), 1002–1014.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (13 Oct 2008 21:32:50 UTC) Last edited by: Beate Pfau (18 Oct 2009 11:30:28 UTC) |
| Resource type: Journal Article DOI: 10.1016/S0003-3472(87)80157-4 BibTeX citation key: Mendonca1987b View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Fortpflanzung = reproduction, Habitat = habitat, Kinosternidae, Physiologie = physiology, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises, Sternotherus, Sternotherus odoratus Creators: Mendonça Collection: Animal Behaviour |
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| Abstract |
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Sternotherus odoratus Although male turtles are usually regarded as having a post-nuptial pattern of gonadogenesis (i.e. gonadal growth dissociated from time of mating), they do mate both in the spring (when testes are regressed, plasma testosterone levels are low, epididymides are enlarged, and temperature and daylength increasing) and in the autumn (testes and epididymides are enlarged, plasma testosterone levels are elevated, and temperature and daylength are decreasing). Therefore different proximate cues may operate in mediating male reproductive behaviour at different times of year. When temperature, photoperiod and testosterone levels were altered in male Sternotherus odoratus during the year in both laboratory and semifield conditions, reproductive behaviour occurred more readily in autumn than in spring (the supposed major breeding period). Short daylength was the key environmental condition stimulating male sexual activity, while temperature changes ‘fine-tuned’ this behaviour. Testosterone was effective in stimulating male behaviour only under certain environmental conditions and males could become refractory to artificially elevated plasma testosterone levels. Added by: Sarina Wunderlich Last edited by: Beate Pfau |