What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate whether blubber testosterone levels correlate with circulating serum testosterone concentrations and can reliably differentiate sex, maturity stage, and seasonality in bottlenose dolphins.

April 26, 2021Scientific ReportsOpen Access

Serum correlation, demographic differentiation, and seasonality of blubber testosterone in common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, in Sarasota Bay, FL

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Authors

KSKathryn K. ShermanNOAA National Marine Fisheries Service NBNicole E. Beaulieu-McCoyNOAA National Marine Fisheries Service EWElyse WursterNOAA National Marine Fisheries Service

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Implication

Observational study reveals blubber testosterone reflects serum levels and sexual maturity in bottlenose dolphins, indicating dart biopsies can reliably classify wild demographic groups.

Key Points

To evaluate whether blubber testosterone levels correlate with circulating serum testosterone concentrations and can reliably differentiate sex, maturity stage, and seasonality in bottlenose dolphins.
Analyzed paired blubber and serum samples collected between 2011 and 2019 from 55 individual bottlenose dolphins (12 females, 24 immature males, and 19 mature males).
Measured testosterone concentrations in both matrices, estimated testis volume, and assessed seasonal variations across maturity classes.
Male blubber and serum testosterone concentrations showed a strong positive correlation across 29 paired samples (r² = 0.932).
Mature males had 300 times higher mean serum testosterone than immature males; blubber testosterone concentrations were >6 times higher in immature males than females and nearly 100 times higher in mature males than immature males.
Estimated testis volume was 60 times greater in mature males than immature males and correlated strongly with blubber testosterone, which also exhibited significant seasonal variation in mature males.

Cite This Study

Sherman et al. (2021) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a97b7fb824c98cfb78be8a3 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88602-z

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Implication

Observational study reveals blubber testosterone reflects serum levels and sexual maturity in bottlenose dolphins, indicating dart biopsies can reliably classify wild demographic groups.

Serum correlation, demographic differentiation, and seasonality of blubber testosterone in common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, in Sarasota Bay, FL

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Serum correlation, demographic differentiation, and seasonality of blubber testosterone in common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, in Sarasota Bay, FL

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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