APPLICATION OF FECAL STEROID TECHNIQUES TO THE REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY OF FEMALE VERREAUX SIFAKA (PROPITHECUS-VERREAUXI)

Solid phase extraction, high performance liquid chromatography, and ra dioimmunoassay were used to test the validity of fecal steroid analysi s for assessing ovarian function in sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi). Da ily fecal samples were collected over a 4 month period from two cyclin g female sifaka, and single samples were collected from females during normal gestation and males while housed at the Duke University Primat e Center. Tests of radioimmunoassay validity indicated that solid phas e extraction and microradioimmunoassay techniques were reliable and ac curate methods for quantifying ovarian steroids in sifaka feces. The p rogesterone (P-4) antibody specifically quantitated only P-4, while se veral estrogen metabolites made small contributions to immunoreactive measures of estradiol (E(2)). A 1:10 dilution reduced these contributi ons to 3-15% of the estimated E(2) concentration. Although the spectra l data suggested that E(2) was not the major metabolite present, it ac counted for the majority of the immunoreactivity at normal assay dilut ions. Fecal profiles of immunoreactive E(2) and P-4 in the conceptive female resembled serum profiles of other strepsirhines. E(2) and P-4 w ere elevated at the end of the conceptive cycle and were more markedly increased in late pregnancy in the two pregnant females. Mating behav ior and indices of sexual interest were observed in conjunction with E (2) peaks, although not all peaks were accompanied by observations of sexual behavior. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.