Al-Habsi A A, Alkindi A Y A, Mahmoud I Y, Owens D W, Khan T, Al-Abri Aisha
Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, 123 Al-Khod, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
J Endocrinol. 2006 Oct;191(1):9-14. doi: 10.1677/joe.1.06790.
Circulating estradiol (E(2)), progesterone (Pro), testosterone, and corticosterone (B) levels were monitored in the green turtles Chelonia mydas during different nesting phases. Successful nesting includes emergence from sea, chamber and nest excavation, oviposition, burying the nest, and returning to sea. Unsuccessful nesting includes chamber and nest excavations but without oviposition. Blood samples were taken from the cervical sinus and collected within 5-min of capture to minimize stress. The samples were collected between 2000 and 0100 h during the peak season (May-October). High-performance liquid chromatography using a u.v. detection system coupled with tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry was used to measure B. Plasma B levels were significantly higher in successful and unsuccessful phases over emergence and excavation phases. However, B levels in successful versus unsuccessful or emergence versus excavation phases were not significantly different. Plasma steroid levels were measured by the Coat-A-Count RIA technique. Pro levels were significantly higher (P<0.005) in successful over unsuccessful turtles and also successful turtles over turtles in the other phases (P<0.01). The Pro levels immediately after nesting were found to be higher than that reported previously. Plasma testosterone values were higher in successful turtles but not significantly different from the turtles in other phases. Estrogen levels were undetected in all phases. Overall, the hormone values during different phases of nesting may play a major role in formulating the nesting behavior and physiology of the nesting activities in the green turtle.
在绿海龟蠵龟的不同筑巢阶段，对其循环雌二醇（E₂）、孕酮（Pro）、睾酮和皮质酮（B）水平进行了监测。成功筑巢包括从海中出现、挖掘洞穴和巢穴、产卵、掩埋巢穴以及返回大海。不成功筑巢包括挖掘洞穴和巢穴但未产卵。从颈窦采集血样，并在捕获后5分钟内收集，以尽量减少应激。样本在旺季（5月至10月）的20:00至01:00之间采集。使用紫外检测系统结合串联四极杆质谱的高效液相色谱法测量B。成功和不成功阶段的血浆B水平显著高于出现和挖掘阶段。然而，成功与不成功阶段或出现与挖掘阶段的B水平没有显著差异。血浆类固醇水平通过Coat-A-Count RIA技术测量。成功筑巢的海龟的Pro水平显著高于不成功筑巢的海龟，也显著高于其他阶段的海龟（P<0.01）。发现筑巢后立即的Pro水平高于先前报道的水平。成功筑巢的海龟的血浆睾酮值较高，但与其他阶段的海龟没有显著差异。所有阶段均未检测到雌激素水平。总体而言，筑巢不同阶段的激素值可能在绿海龟筑巢行为和筑巢活动生理过程的形成中起主要作用。
