ASSESSMENT OF FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE STATUS IN CAPTIVE-HOUSED HANUMAN LANGURS (PRESBYTIS-ENTELLUS) BY MEASUREMENT OF URINARY AND FECAL STEROID-EXCRETION PATTERNS

The study reports on the use of urinary and fecal hormone measurements for monitoring female reproductive status in captive-housed Hanuman l angurs (Presbytis entellus). Matched urine and fecal samples collected throughout 7 complete menstrual cycles of two females, and during par t of one pregnancy in a third female were analyzed. Estrone conjugates (E1C) and immunoreactive pregnanediol glucuronide (PdG) in urine and immunoreactive estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), pregnanediol (Pd) an d 20 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (20 alpha OHP) in feces were measured b y enzymeimmunoassay. E1C and PdG in urine were excreted in a cyclic pa ttern with E1C levels increasing 3- to 4-fold during the follicular ph ase to reach preovulatory peak values 2 days before a defined rise in PdG concentrations. Cycle lengths ranged between 20 and 34 days compri sing a variable follicular phase of 7-21 days and a more consistent lu teal phase of 12-14 days. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) a nalysis of fecal extracts confirmed the presence of all fecal hormones measured, but indicated large amounts of additional immunoreactivity in the three progestin assays. The patterns of excretion of fecal E2 a nd all three fecal progestins corresponded well with those of steroid metabolites in urine in showing a clear and well defined follicular ph ase E2 rise followed by a luteal phase progestin increase. Measurement of 20 alpha OHP immunoreactivity revealed the most stable baseline an d the highest follicular/luteal phase differential. Levels of all horm ones were clearly elevated during pregnancy although urinary E1C and P dG showed a more pronounced increase compared to fecal metabolites. Th e results indicate that urinary and fecal hormone analysis can be appl ied to noninvasive monitoring of reproductive status in the Hanuman la ngur. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.