The Temporal Relationship between the Cycle of Testicular Development and Molt in the White-Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii

Male White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) held on 12-h days for 46.5 months failed to develop a postnuptial-type molt, although they underwent 2-4 cycles of testicular growth and regression. At an estimated 47 days (range 43-59 days) after transfer to 18-h days, all began an esse...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Auk 1980-01, Vol.97 (1), p.63-75
Main Authors: Farner, Donald S., Donham, Richard S., Moore, Michael C., Lewis, Robert A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal migration behavior
Birds
Control systems
Gonads
Laparotomy
Molting
Photoperiod
Sparrows
Testes
Testicular development
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Summary:Male White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) held on 12-h days for 46.5 months failed to develop a postnuptial-type molt, although they underwent 2-4 cycles of testicular growth and regression. At an estimated 47 days (range 43-59 days) after transfer to 18-h days, all began an essentially normal postnuptial molt of the primary remiges. The time elapsed between the loss of the first and ninth primary remiges was about 30 days, within normal range for this length of day. There was no identifiable relationship between size or rate of growth of the testes and the time of onset of the molt. These and other results indicate that there is a long-day (>12,
ISSN:0004-8038
1938-4254