Perth Zoo, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia.
Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2012 Dec 1;179(3):376-83. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.09.020. Epub 2012 Oct 1.
Annual patterns of faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) secretion were examined in six captive numbats (Myrmecobius fasciatus). The use of enzyme-immunoassay for the measurement of FCM in the numbat faeces was validated using an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge and the resultant FCM measurements represent the first description of adrenal endocrinology in this species. Total overall, baseline and peak FCM mean concentrations varied according to individual, but not gender. For males, mean baseline and overall FCM secretion was higher in spring in summer (compared to winter and autumn) and was elevated during the breeding season. For females, mean baseline FCM secretion did not differ by season or breeding season, but mean overall FCM secretion was elevated during the breeding season. Thus, male (but not female) numbats display an annual change in FCM secretion that is strongly linked to their seasonal pattern of reproduction. Significant FCM elevations (n=178) were observed in response to 20 different stressors, with these stressors being allocated to one of six categories: ANIM, ENVIRO, HAND, HEALTH, MAN and UNK. The mean proportion of positive responses to each category varied according to category, season and breeding season, but did not vary by individual or gender. ANIM and HEALTH stressors elicited a higher response rate than all other categories and an increase in the number of ANIM, ENVIRO, and HEALTH stressors were observed during the breeding season. Although there were multiple stressors within the captive environment that the numbats reacted to, this did not translate into a welfare issue.
本研究检测了 6 只圈养袋食蚁兽（Myrmecobius fasciatus）粪便中皮质醇代谢物（FCM）的分泌的年度变化模式。采用促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）刺激试验验证了酶联免疫吸附法（ELISA）在袋食蚁兽粪便中检测 FCM 的适用性，该方法得到的 FCM 测量结果首次描述了该物种的肾上腺内分泌学特征。个体间而非性别间存在总体、基础和峰值 FCM 平均浓度的差异。雄性个体的基础和总体 FCM 分泌在春季和夏季（与冬季和秋季相比）较高，并在繁殖季节升高。对于雌性个体，基础 FCM 分泌在季节或繁殖季节间没有差异，但总体 FCM 分泌在繁殖季节升高。因此，雄性（而非雌性）袋食蚁兽的 FCM 分泌表现出与季节性繁殖模式密切相关的年度变化。在 20 种不同应激源的作用下观察到了显著的 FCM 升高（n=178），这些应激源被分配到六个类别之一：ANIM、ENVIRO、HAND、HEALTH、MAN 和 UNK。每个类别的阳性反应的平均比例因类别、季节和繁殖季节而异，但不因个体或性别而异。ANIM 和 HEALTH 类应激源比其他所有类别引发的反应率更高，并且在繁殖季节观察到 ANIM、ENVIRO 和 HEALTH 类应激源的数量增加。尽管圈养环境中有多种袋食蚁兽会对其产生应激的因素，但这并没有转化为福利问题。
