Seasonal variations in plasma testosterone concentrations in the male marsupial bandicoot Isoodon macrourus in captivity.

Although bandicoots in Queensland mate throughout the year, the majority of births occur in late winter and spring. To ascertain whether this seasonality in mating is manifest in the male reproductive system; body weight, testes size, and plasma testosterone concentration were examined in eight bandicoots throughout the year. The size of the testes increased with age in all bandicoots and there was no evidence of seasonal variation. Plasma testosterone concentrations fluctuated from 0.1 to 70.0 ng/ml and a seasonal cycle was observed, with a nadir in concentrations in March and a peak in September. The peak in testosterone concentration coincided with the period of the year when the majority of births occurred. Subsequent statistical analysis suggested that the annual plasma testosterone profile correlated well with the rate of change of day length.