Reproductive suppression in female Damaraland mole–rats<i>Cryptomys damarensis</i>: dominant control or self–restraint?

Clarke, Frank M.; Miethe, G. H.; Bennett, Nigel C.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2000.1426

Cited by 81 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Cortisol assays were performed using a coat-a-count cortisol kit (Diagnostic Products Corporation) that had previously been validated for urinary cortisol monitoring in Damaraland mole-rats (Clarke et al 2001). All samples were assayed in duplicate and the assay sensitivity (determined at 90% binding) was 6.1 ng/ml.…”

Section: Urine Sample Collection and Urinary Cortisol Assaymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To correct for variation in urinary cortisol concentrations resulting from variation in urine concentration, determinations of creatinine concentrations were also conducted in duplicate for all urine samples (as described by Bonney et al 1982;Clarke et al 2001). The intra-assay coefficient of variation was 3.0%.…”

Section: Urine Sample Collection and Urinary Cortisol Assaymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, subordinate females commonly exhibit down-regulated reproductive physiologies when in the presence of the dominant female (e.g. Clarke et al 2001;Saltzman et al 2009). This may be due either to the subordinate exercising physiological restraint given a threat of interference by the dominant (Young et al 2008;Saltzman et al 2009) or to the dominant forcibly downregulating the subordinates' fertility by subjecting them to chronic stress (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Physiological suppression eases in Damaraland mole-rat societies when ecological constraints on dispersal are relaxed

Young

Oosthuizen

Lutermann

et al. 2010

Hormones and Behavior

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In many vertebrate societies, subordinate females exhibit down-regulated reproductive physiologies relative to those of dominants, a condition commonly termed physiological suppression. Research into the causes of physiological suppression has focused principally on the role of the subordinate's social environment (typically the presence of the dominant female and/or an absence of unrelated males within the group), while few studies have considered the additional role that the physical environment may play. Here we present new evidence from wild Damaraland mole-rats, Fukomys damarensis, revealing that physiological suppression among subordinate females eases markedly during the annual rains (a time when ecological constraints on dispersal are relaxed), despite the continued presence of the dominant female and in groups that contain no new immigrant males. Subordinate females showed substantially higher pituitary sensitivities to GnRH challenge during the wet period than the dry, a contrast that cannot be attributed to between-female differences (as it holds for paired within-female comparisons), associated changes in body mass (as our analyses control for this), or concomitant reductions in physiological stress (as their urinary cortisol concentrations were actually higher in the wet period). We suggest that our findings reflect selection for the maintenance of reproductive readiness among subordinate females during high rainfall periods, given the increased likelihood of encountering dispersal and/or mating opportunities with extra-group males when ecological constraints on dispersal are relaxed.These findings reveal new complexity in the processes that regulate physiological suppression, suggesting a key role in some species for changes in the physical as well as social environment.

show abstract

Section: Urine Sample Collection and Urinary Cortisol Assaymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Urine Sample Collection and Urinary Cortisol Assaymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Physiological suppression eases in Damaraland mole-rat societies when ecological constraints on dispersal are relaxed

Young

Oosthuizen

Lutermann

et al. 2010

Hormones and Behavior

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Previous studies in red deer (Cervus elaphus) suggest that corpus luteum function is affected by social status [34]. In rodents and monkeys, it has been demonstrated that only dominant females ovulate and inhibit the ovulation in subordinated females through aggression, visual cues and pheromones [35,36]. In ibexes raised in captivity, the social interactions are reinforced and aggression directed towards dominated females (usually with lower bodyweight) has been frequently observed in our study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 48%

Seasonal ovulatory activity and plasma prolactin concentrations in the Spanish ibex(Capra pyrenaica hispanica) maintained in captivity

Santiago-Moreno¹,

Gómez-Brunet²,

González-Bulnes³

et al. 2003

Reprod. Nutr. Dev.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

-Seasonal changes in ovulatory activity, assessed by the measurement of plasma progesterone and plasma prolactin concentrations were monitored in 10 Spanish ibex females captured in the National Wildlife Reserve of Sierra Nevada (South Spain, 37º N). Five of the 10 female ibex showed ovulatory activity with a mean (± s.e.m.) duration of the oestrous cycle of 19.4 ± 1 days (range: 17-23 days). On average, the five cyclic females weighed 28 ± 0.9 kg. Progesterone cycles occurred only in animals older than 4 years of age. Ovulatory activity extended from December to January. The duration of the breeding season was 43.2 ± 7.7 days. Ibex females younger than 4 years of age had a body weight lower (P < 0.01) than that of adults and none of them displayed ovulations. Plasma concentrations of prolactin levels were significantly affected by season (P < 0.05), following a trend that was roughly parallel to daylength. The highest values occurred in the spring (119.7 ± 21.4 ng·mL -1 ) and the summer (139.3 ± 19.8 ng·mL -1 ), the lowest values in the autumn (26 ± 7.4 ng·mL -1 ) and in the winter (19.7 ± 3.2 ng·mL -1 ). Our results showed a very restricted breeding season, despite the fact that the Spanish ibex originates from and lives in a temperate latitude, revealing a remarkably good adaptation to the harsh climatic and nutritional conditions of their mountainous habitat.breeding season / ovulation / progesterone

show abstract

“…Social stress also has been shown to cause a reduction in locomotor activity, social motivation and interactions (Blanchard et al, 2001, Denmark et al, 2010, Sandi and Haller, 2015. In a previous study, Damaraland queens were found to have the lowest or almost the lowest levels of cortisol among the females in the colony, although this difference is not significant in most colonies (Clarke et al, 2001). However, worker mole-rats with the lowest status in the colony shows the largest number of proliferating cells and young neurons and are the most active.…”

Section: Effect Of Social Status On Neurogenesismentioning

confidence: 93%

Trading new neurons for status: Adult hippocampal neurogenesis in eusocial Damaraland mole-rats

Oosthuizen

Amrein

2016

Neuroscience

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Highlights• The hippocampal architecture of the Damaraland mole-rat corresponds largely to that of other mole-rat species.• No gender differences are found in hippocampal neurogenesis of Damaraland mole-rats.• Neurogenesis is unrelated to relative age in Damaraland mole-rats.• There is an inverse relationship between social status and neurogenesis in Damaraland mole-rats. 1 AbstractDiversity in social structures, from solitary to eusocial, is a prominent feature of subterranean African mole-rat species. Damaraland mole-rats are eusocial, they live in colonies that are characterized by a reproductive division of labour and a subdivision into castes based on physiology and behaviour. Damaraland mole-rats are exceptionally long lived and reproductive animals show delayed aging compared to non-reproductive animals. In the present study, we described the hippocampal architecture and the rate of hippocampal neurogenesis of wild derived, adult Damaraland mole-rats in relation to sex, relative age and social status or caste. Overall, Damaraland mole-rats were found to have a small hippocampus and low rates of neurogenesis. We found no correlation between neurogenesis and sex or relative age. Social status or caste were the most prominent modulator of neurogenesis. An inverse relationship between neurogenesis and social status was apparent, with queens displaying the lowest neurogenesis while the worker mole-rats had the most. As there is no natural progression from one caste to another, social status within a colony was relatively stable and is reflected in the level of neurogenesis. Our results correspond to those found in the naked mole-rat, and may reflect an evolutionary and environmentally conserved trait within social mole-rat species.

show abstract

Reproductive suppression in female Damaraland mole–ratsCryptomys damarensis: dominant control or self–restraint?

Cited by 81 publications

References 26 publications

Physiological suppression eases in Damaraland mole-rat societies when ecological constraints on dispersal are relaxed

Physiological suppression eases in Damaraland mole-rat societies when ecological constraints on dispersal are relaxed

Seasonal ovulatory activity and plasma prolactin concentrations in the Spanish ibex(Capra pyrenaica hispanica) maintained in captivity

Trading new neurons for status: Adult hippocampal neurogenesis in eusocial Damaraland mole-rats

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About