Hormonal control of birth behavior in the bandicoot (Perameles gunnii : Marsupialia) and other marsupials

The barred bandicoot is a small marsupial, locally common on the island of Tasmania, Australia. Several marsupial species have been Shown to respond t o injections of prostaglandin F-2 alpha or oxytocin by demonstrating birth behavior but that if an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis was given prio r to oxytocin, no birth behavior was demonstrated. The barred bandicoot has behaved in a similar manner, demonstrating a significant increase in groom ing and three other behaviors (crouching/prone, lateral and 'birth') were o nly seen after injection of PGF(2 alpha), or oxytocin. The fact that after injection of oxytocin there was an increase in the latency till a birth res ponse confirms a previous finding in another species. Subsequently, we have repeated these experiments with other marsupial groups, with similar resul ts, which suggest that prostaglandin F-2 alpha stimulates birth behavior an d oxytocin stimulates prostaglandin production in most marsupials. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.