{"title":"Seasonal Reproductive Cycle of the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the Eastern Mojave Desert","authors":"D. Rostal, V. Lance, J. S. Grumbles, A. Alberts","doi":"10.2307/1467071","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The seasonal reproductive cycles of male and female desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) were studied under semi-natural conditions. Tortoises were maintained in outdoor pens subject to ambient weather conditions and received supplemental food and water. Heparinized blood samples were collected monthly using jugular puncture. Ovarian follicular growth and egg development were monitored using ultrasonography. Mating was observed in the fall (following nesting) and the spring (prior to nesting). Vitellogenesis occurred during the fall prior to hibernation. Nesting was observed from May-early July with females producing one or two clutches. Clutches ranged from 2-7 eggs. Both males and females displayed seasonal testosterone cycles.","PeriodicalId":56309,"journal":{"name":"Herpetological Monographs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1000,"publicationDate":"1994-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2307/1467071","citationCount":"115","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Herpetological Monographs","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2307/1467071","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ZOOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 115
Abstract
The seasonal reproductive cycles of male and female desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) were studied under semi-natural conditions. Tortoises were maintained in outdoor pens subject to ambient weather conditions and received supplemental food and water. Heparinized blood samples were collected monthly using jugular puncture. Ovarian follicular growth and egg development were monitored using ultrasonography. Mating was observed in the fall (following nesting) and the spring (prior to nesting). Vitellogenesis occurred during the fall prior to hibernation. Nesting was observed from May-early July with females producing one or two clutches. Clutches ranged from 2-7 eggs. Both males and females displayed seasonal testosterone cycles.
期刊介绍:
Since 1982, Herpetological Monographs has been dedicated to original research about the biology, diversity, systematics and evolution of amphibians and reptiles. Herpetological Monographs is published annually as a supplement to Herpetologica and contains long research papers, manuscripts and special symposia that synthesize the latest scientific discoveries.