Do dispersing non-reproductive female Damaraland mole-rats, Cryptomys damarensis (Rodentia: Bathyergidae) exhibit spontaneous or induced ovulation

dc.contributor.authorSnyman, P.C.
dc.contributor.authorJackson, Craig R.
dc.contributor.authorBennett, Nigel Charles
dc.contributor.emailnigel.bennett@up.ac.zaen
dc.date.accessioned2007-05-24T05:29:37Z
dc.date.available2007-05-24T05:29:37Z
dc.date.issued2006
dc.description.abstractThe Damaraland mole-rat is a eusocial, subterranean rodent that exhibits a seasonal breeding. Non-reproductive females show physiological suppression of reproduction whilst in the confines of the natal colony. This study set out to investigate whether dispersing female Damaraland mole-rats exhibit induced or spontaneous ovulation. Fifteen non-reproductive females were removed from their natal colonies and housed individually for a period of 6 weeks. During this period urine was collected from all animals every second day. After this initial period the animals were divided into 3 groups. Females were subjected to 1 of 3 trials: a control group housed separately without a male, allowed non-physical contact, or placed in direct physical contact with vasectomized males. Urine was collected for a further 5 weeks, and urinary progesterone profiles established. All three groups showed a significant difference in urinary progesterone concentrations between the two treatment periods indicating initiation of follicular development in all animals following removal from the colony. Histological results further revealed that at least one animal in the control group and five of the six animals in the vasectomized group had corpora lutea present in the ovaries showing that ovulation has taken place. All groups had similar numbers of Graafian follicles, indicating that all females were likely to ovulate in the near future. This finding suggests that females are capable of spontaneous ovulation, but the act of coitus may advance the onset of ovulation in this arid dwelling mole-rat.en
dc.description.sponsorshipWe thank the National Research Foundation and the University of Pretoria (NCB) for funding the project.en
dc.format.extent186422 bytes
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.citationSnyman, PC, Jackson, CR & Bennett, NC 2006. ‘Do dispersing non-reproductive female Damaraland mole-rats, Cryptomys damarensis (Rodentia: Bathyergidae) exhibit spontaneous or induced ovulation?’, Physiology & Behavior, vol. 87, issue 1, pp.88-94 [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00319384]en
dc.identifier.issn0031-9384
dc.identifier.other10.1016/j.physbeh.2005.09.003
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/2519
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherElsevieren
dc.rightsElsevieren
dc.subjectVasectomyen
dc.subjectProgesteroneen
dc.subjectCorpora luteaen
dc.subjectDamaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis)en
dc.subjectCryptomysen
dc.subjectSpontaneous ovulationen
dc.subject.lcshOvulation
dc.subject.lcshBathyergidae
dc.titleDo dispersing non-reproductive female Damaraland mole-rats, Cryptomys damarensis (Rodentia: Bathyergidae) exhibit spontaneous or induced ovulationen
dc.typePostprint Articleen

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