Rasmussen L E, Buss I O, Hess D L, Schmidt M J
Biol Reprod. 1984 Mar;30(2):352-62. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod30.2.352.
Serum and temporal gland secretions (TGS) were obtained from mature wild African (Loxodonta africana) and captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Samples were obtained from five cows and eight bulls culled for management purposes in Kruger National Park, South Africa, and from four females and two males residing at the Washington Park Zoo, Portland, Oregon. Our purpose was to describe the levels of the androgens, testosterone (T), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and to correlate these observations with sex, species and behavioral status. Male-female differences in serum T were pronounced in the Asian species, whereas male and female concentrations overlapped in the African elephant serum. Serum T concentrations in African females were greater than in Asian females. Serum DHT reflected T levels, except that the striking elevation of testosterone in Asian bulls during musth was not paralleled by equal increases in DHT levels. A species difference observed among males was higher serum T levels in nonmusth Asian bulls (1.84-5.35 ng/ml) compared to the levels in African bulls (0.38-0.68 ng/ml), except for one dominant African bull (6.64 ng/ml). This single African value was still considerably lower than the serum T values of the Asian males during musth. These musth values were the highest serum androgen concentrations: T was between 19 and 40 ng/ml (average 26.10 ng/ml). The TSG values of T and DHT were much higher than serum levels except in the Asian female. T/DHT ratios in TGS were more similar than in serum. One dominant African bull had a T TGS value of 78 ng/ml, which was much higher than the rest of the African males or females, but considerably lower than as Asian bull in musth (547 ng/ml). It seems apparent that a change in androgen status as reflected in serum and TGS levels of T and DHT precedes or is concomitant with overt alteration in behavior in the Asian male. The temporal gland appears to actively concentrate androgens in both African males and females, but in the Asian male the gland secretes only during musth when the greatest concentration of both T and DHT were observed. The apparent difference in the degree of temporal gland secretory activity between the two species suggests a more specific communicative function within the Asian male.
从成年野生非洲象（非洲象属）和圈养亚洲象（亚洲象属）获取血清和颞腺分泌物（TGS）。样本取自南非克鲁格国家公园因管理目的被宰杀的5头母牛和8头公牛，以及俄勒冈州波特兰市华盛顿公园动物园的4头雌性和2头雄性大象。我们的目的是描述雄激素、睾酮（T）和双氢睾酮（DHT）的水平，并将这些观察结果与性别、物种和行为状态相关联。亚洲象血清中T的雌雄差异明显，而非洲象血清中雌雄浓度有重叠。非洲雌性血清T浓度高于亚洲雌性。血清DHT反映T水平，只是亚洲雄性大象在发情期睾酮显著升高时，DHT水平并未同等升高。在雄性中观察到的一个物种差异是，非发情期亚洲雄性公牛血清T水平（1.84 - 5.35纳克/毫升）高于非洲公牛（0.38 - 0.68纳克/毫升），但有一头占主导地位的非洲公牛除外（6.64纳克/毫升）。这个单一的非洲公牛的值仍远低于亚洲雄性大象发情期的血清T值。这些发情期的值是最高的血清雄激素浓度：T在19至40纳克/毫升之间（平均26.10纳克/毫升）。除亚洲雌性外，TGS中T和DHT的值远高于血清水平。TGS中的T/DHT比值比血清中的更相似。一头占主导地位的非洲公牛T TGS值为78纳克/毫升，远高于其他非洲雄性或雌性，但远低于发情期的亚洲公牛（547纳克/毫升）。似乎很明显，血清和TGS中T和DHT水平所反映的雄激素状态变化先于或伴随亚洲雄性行为的明显改变。颞腺似乎在非洲雄性和雌性中都能积极浓缩雄激素，但在亚洲雄性中，该腺体仅在发情期分泌，此时观察到T和DHT的浓度最高。两个物种之间颞腺分泌活动程度的明显差异表明亚洲雄性内部存在更特殊的交流功能。
