Sex-reversed and normal turtles display similar sex steroid profiles
✍ Scribed by Rhen, Turk; Elf, Pamela K.; Fivizzani, Albert J.; Lang, Jeffrey W.
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1996
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 631 KB
- Volume
- 274
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0022-104X
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
In many oviparous reptiles, incubation temperature determines hatchling sex. Manipulation of the embryonic hormonal environment can result in sex reversal. We measured circulating estradiol 17-p (EZ) and testosterone (T) levels in temperature-determined and sexreversed snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina). Eight-month-old turtles have sex steroid profiles that are sex specific and are consistent with gonadal sex. Males had higher levels of T than females, both before and after treatment with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). In males, T levels increased approximately ll-fold after FSH challenge, whereas in females, T levels remained low. In contrast, levels of Ez after FSH challenge were higher in females than in males, but showed no difference before treatment. Sex-reversed individuals appear to have normal sex steroid profiles of T and Ez, both a t basal levels and in response to gonadotropin challenge. Our study indicates that the steroidogenic capability of these juvenile turtles was consistent with gonadal morphology and suggests that these sex-reversed individuals have normal gonadal function.