Changes in LH and progesterone associated with the nesting cycle and ovulation in the olive ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea

Licht, Paul; Owens, David; Cliffton, Kim; Penaflores, Cuauhtemoc

doi:10.1016/0016-6480(82)90023-5

Cited by 49 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…However, in these species, there can be overlap in hormone concentration between known nonconceiving females and females predicted to be pregnant based on progesterone concentrations such that the diagnostic power of progesterone is more limited though still informative (McKenzie et al, 2005;Beaulieu-McCoy et al, 2017). In these animals (along with cetaceans and sea turtles), progesterone can aid in maturity state assessments of females and help elucidate estrous activity in conjunction with measurements of other hormones, like estrogens (Licht et al, 1982;Pietraszek and Atkinson, 1994;Gardiner et al, 1996Gardiner et al, , 1999Kakizoe et al, 2010;Beaulieu-McCoy et al, 2017). Progesterone concentration has not been widely assessed in marine turtle experimental studies as this hormone is at baseline levels until a reproductively active female commences nesting activities (see overview in Blanvillain et al, 2011).…”

Section: Progesteronementioning

confidence: 99%

The Utility of Combining Stable Isotope and Hormone Analyses for Marine Megafauna Research

et al. 2018

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Stable isotope and hormone analyses offer insight into the health, stress, nutrition, movements, and reproduction of individuals and populations. Such information can provide early warning signs or more in-depth details on the ecological and conservation status of marine megafauna. Stable isotope and hormone analyses have seen rapid development over the last two decades, and we briefly review established protocols and particular questions emphasized in the literature for each type of analysis in isolation. Little has been published utilizing both methods concurrently for marine megafauna yet there has been considerable effort on this front in seabird and terrestrial predator research fields. Using these other taxa as examples, we offer a few of the major research areas and questions we foresee as productive for the intersection of these two methods and discuss how they can inform marine megafauna conservation and management efforts. Three major research areas have utilized a combination of these two methods: (1) nutrition and health, (2) reproduction, and (3) life history. We identify a fourth area of research, examinations of evolutionary versus ecological drivers of behavior, that could also be well served by a combined stable isotope and hormone analyses approach. Each of these broad areas of research will require methodological developments. In particular, research is needed to enable the successful temporal alignment of these two analytical techniques.

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Section: Progesteronementioning

confidence: 99%

The Utility of Combining Stable Isotope and Hormone Analyses for Marine Megafauna Research

et al. 2018

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“…They generally oviposit two clutches three weeks apart when nesting solitarily, or four to five weeks apart when nesting in an arribada 3,7,9,12,13 . Follicles for the subsequent clutch are ovulated one to two days after the first nest is oviposited 12,14,15 . The ova are fertilised shortly after ovulation 16,17 and embryos have commenced development within three days of the first nesting 18,19 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synchronised nesting aggregations are associated with enhanced capacity for extended embryonic arrest in olive ridley sea turtles

Williamson

Evans

Robinson

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Sea turtle species in the genus Lepidochelys exhibit an unusual behavioural polymorphism, nesting in both aggregations and solitarily. Aggregated nesting events, termed ‘arribadas’, involve hundreds of thousands of females congregating at a single nesting beach over a few days to oviposit their eggs. Aggregate and solitary nesting behaviours are associated with distinct inter-nesting intervals, three and four weeks for non-arribada and arribada nesters respectively. Consequently, embryos are maintained in pre-ovipositional embryonic arrest in the hypoxic oviduct for different lengths of time depending on the mother’s reproductive behaviour. However, sea turtle embryos are limited in their capacity to remain in arrest and will subsequently die if held in hypoxia too long. Here, we tested whether embryos oviposited during arribada or non-arribada nesting differ in their capacity to be maintained in pre-ovipositional arrest. Olive ridley turtle ( Lepidochelys olivacea ) eggs from eight clutches (four from each nesting tactic) were divided among seven treatments after oviposition; normoxia (control; 21% O 2 ), or hypoxia (1% O 2 ) for 3, 3.5, 4, 8, 15 or 30 days, before being returned to normoxia. Arribada eggs were capable of extending pre-ovipositional arrest for longer, with some eggs from the 8- and 15-day hypoxia treatment still hatching while no non-arribada eggs hatched after more than four days in hypoxia. This difference in embryonic capacity to survive extended periods of arrest may be an important mechanism facilitating arribada behaviour by allowing longer inter-nesting intervals. Our finding provides an intriguing insight into the physiological mechanisms that are integral to this unique mass-nesting behaviour.

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“…Female estradiol levels actually increase several months prior to mating and appear to stimulate vitellogenin production by the liver [Licht et al, 1979;Wibbels et al, 1990;Rostal et al, 1998]. Female progesterone levels are observed to surge both during mating and nesting as subsequent clutches of eggs are ovulated [Licht et al, 1982;Wibbels et al, 1992].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal reproductive cycle of the Galápagos tortoise (Geochelone nigra) in captivity

et al. 1998

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The reproductive physiology of nine Galápagos tortoises (Geochelone nigra) was studied from February 1988 to May 1989. The study encompassed the annual reproductive cycle to include complete mating and nesting sequences. Male (n = 4) and female (n = 5) seasonal reproductive changes were determined throughout the study with endocrine analysis and ultrasonographic examinations. Males displayed a prenuptial rise in serum testosterone (x― ±SE = 6.62 ± 0.92 ng/ml in August) during which gonadal maturation and spermatogenesis are thought to occur. The male reproductive cycle appears consistent with the prenuptial spermatogenic pattern exhibited by other tropical turtles. In the females, testosterone rose during the mating period (x― ± SE = 499.3 ± 124.6 pg/ml in October) prior to ovulation and is probably related to receptivity in the females. Progesterone was more variable, but also peaked during the mating period (x― ± SE = 1,017.2 ± 220.6 pg/ml in October) and appears related to ovulation. Estradiol rose several months prior to mating (x― ± SE = 75.5 ± 11.9 pg/ml in July) and was correlated with increased serum calcium levels. This increase in estradiol is thought to stimulate vitellogenesis several months prior to mating. Nesting occurred from November 1988 to April 1989, during which six clutches were laid. Clutch size ranged from eight to 17 eggs. Both male and female Galápagos tortoises display seasonal physiological changes that function to regulate annual reproductive patterns. Zoo Biol 17:505–517, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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Changes in LH and progesterone associated with the nesting cycle and ovulation in the olive ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea

Cited by 49 publications

References 10 publications

The Utility of Combining Stable Isotope and Hormone Analyses for Marine Megafauna Research

The Utility of Combining Stable Isotope and Hormone Analyses for Marine Megafauna Research

Synchronised nesting aggregations are associated with enhanced capacity for extended embryonic arrest in olive ridley sea turtles

Seasonal reproductive cycle of the Galápagos tortoise (Geochelone nigra) in captivity

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