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Hormonal and Behavioral Variation in Pied Tamarins Housed in Different Management Conditions
Author(s) -
Armstrong D. M.,
Santymire R.M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
zoo biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1098-2361
pISSN - 0733-3188
DOI - 10.1002/zoo.21023
Subject(s) - biology , feces , glucocorticoid , androgen , hormone , endocrinology , medicine , testosterone (patch) , reproduction , physiology , ecology
Pied tamarins are an endangered Amazonian primate that has limited breeding success in zoos. Unfortunately, little is known about their reproductive biology and adrenocortical activity. Objectives were: (1) determine if fecal hormones could be utilized to monitor gonadal and adrenocortical activity; (2) characterize male and female gonadal and adrenocortical hormones; and (3) determine if there were differences between adrenocortical activity and behavior in a nonbreeding, on‐exhibit (NB‐ON) pair compared to a breeding, off‐exhibit ( B ‐ OFF ) pair. Fecal samples were collected from four (two males; two females) individuals. Hormones were analyzed for fecal progesterone ( FPM ), androgen ( FAM ), and glucocorticoid ( FGM ) metabolites by enzyme immunoassay. Behavioral observations were conducted for 6 months. Data were collected on instantaneous behavior, location, and all occurrences of intraspecific behaviors. Fecal progesterone metabolites were validated by pregnancy (mean ± SE , pregnant: 28.47 ± 1.60 μg/g; nonpregnant: 8.63 ± 0.89 μg/g). Fecal androgen metabolites were higher ( T = 31,971, P < 0.05) in the B ‐ OFF male (863.66 ± 46.30 μg/g) than the NB‐ON male (838.63 ± 60.70 μg/g). Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites were validated by response to veterinary procedure with elevated values (7.31 ± 1.48 μg/g) seven times the baseline (0.37 ± 0.04 μg/g) at 24‐hr postphysical. Females had higher baseline FGM than the males ( P < 0.05). Baseline FGM were higher ( P < 0.05) in the NB ‐ ON female (0.93 ± 0.03 μg/g) compared to the B ‐ OFF female (0.38 ± 0.02 μg/g). Similarly, the NB ‐ ON male's FGM baseline (0.71 ± 0.03 μg/g) were higher ( P < 0.05) than the B ‐ OFF male (0.21 ± 0.01 μg/g). Behavioral data revealed stereotypical behaviors in the NB ‐ ON pair but no stereotypical behaviors in the B ‐ OFF pair. Fecal hormone monitoring and behavioral analysis may provide insight on the limited breeding success of pied tamarins in zoos. Zoo Biol. 32:299–306, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.