animal endocrinology 2011

1.           Ptyodactylus guttatus

Guy Sion, Hebrew University, Dept. of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior

2.           Oculina patagonica

Rachel Armoza- Zvulani, Tel Aviv University, Dept. of Zoology

3.           Mandrillus sphinx

Yael Tal-Nissim, Hebrew University Vet. School

This is about lizards not wizards.

(from Wizards of Beverly Place)

Ptyodactylus guttatus

Aggressive geckos use their left eye as this information goes directly to the aggressive right brain.  We are investigating if this agression is associated with higher hormone levels.

Oculina patagonica

In this study we compared reproductive characteristics and steroid hormone levels in the non-indigenous scleractinian coral, Oculina patagonica, inhabiting contaminated vs. uncontaminated reference sites along the Israeli Mediterranean coast. Our results indicate significantly higher steroid levels in both seawater and coral tissue samples from contaminated sites as compared to reference sites, suggesting that corals tend to accumulate steroids from the surrounding waters. Despite their higher steroid levels, corals from the contaminated sites showed reproductive potential comparable to those of the reference sites. Interestingly, a clear distinction could be seen between corals exposed to pollution for long vs. short durations, with the latter showing a failure to complete gametogenesis. This suggests that reproduction in O. patagonica is susceptible to acute rather than chronic stress. The involvement of acclimatization/ adaptation processes may explain this species tolerance, and may reflect the ability of O. patagonica to successfully invade new areas in the Mediterranean Sea. 

Armoza-Zvuloni, R., Kramarksky-Winter, E., Rosenfeld, H., Shore, L. S., Segal, R., Sharon, D., Loya, Y. (2012). Reproductive characteristics and steroid levels in the scleractinian coral Oculina patagonica inhabiting contaminated sites along the Israeli Mediterranean coast.  Marine Pollution Bulletin 64 (8): 1556-1563

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.05.020

Mandrillus sphinx

Although mandrils are an endangered species in the wild, they breed too well in captivity.  In order to determine the best contraceptive protocol using a GnRH agonist, fecal steroids were determined before and after implantation of the agonist.