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Reproductive Biology Of The Coyote (Canis Latrans): Integration Of Behavior And Physiology, Debra Anne Carlson
Reproductive Biology Of The Coyote (Canis Latrans): Integration Of Behavior And Physiology, Debra Anne Carlson
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023
Wild Canis species possess a unique suite of reproductive traits including social monogamy, copulatory lock/tie, and biparental care. Females are seasonally monestrous and experience an obligatory pseudopregnancy after spontaneous ovulation. While these characteristics have been ascribed to coyotes, an integrated profile of behavior and physiology has not yet been described. In this study, temporal correlations between steroid hormone levels and socio-sexual mating behaviors were documented, as were changes in vaginal epithelium. Pseudopregnancy was compared to pregnancy by contrasting hormone (progesterone, estradiol, prolactin and relaxin) profiles of unmated females to patterns obtained in alternate years when they bred. Meanwhile, social interactions …