first approach to determining luteinizing hormone levels to study reproductive strategies in the pichi (Zaedyus pichiy), a threatened armadillo.

ACTIS E; VALDEZ SR; CUELLO CARRION FD; JAHN GA; SUPERINA M

Potrero de los Funes

Congreso; XXX Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2012

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

The pichi Zaedyus pichiy is a threatened, heavily poached small armadillo native to Argentina and Chile. This seasonal breeder produces one yearly litter of 1–2 offspring. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that pichis are induced ovulators. As a first step, we collected hypophyses of 4 dead pichis and confirmed through Western Blot and immunohistochemistry that a commercial polyclonal anti-luteinizing hormone antibody recognized pichi LH, which we then used to develop a heterologous RIA. We collected blood samples from captive females before and after pairing and quantified the concentration of LH. Hormone levels were similar pre- and post-mating, as well as in females that were not paired. This does not exclude the possibility that pichis are induced ovulators, but may be related to the timing of blood sampling. No data are available on the interval between mating and the timing of the pre-ovulatory LH peak in pichis, which in other species varies between 6 and 72 hours. Additional experiments with varying intervals between mating and blood extraction are being carried out.