title: Hormonal monitoring of age at sexual maturation in female Goeldi's monkeys (Callimico goeldii) in their family groups.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine whether or not sexual maturation is attained in the family group in captive-born Goeldi's monkey (Callimico goeldii) and if so, at what age and body weight. To monitor ovarian activity in 14 female Goeldi's monkeys, urinary content of pregnanediol-3alpha-glucuronide (PdG) was determined using radioimmunoassay. Urinary samples were collected between the ages of 6 and 70 weeks. Subjects became sexually mature while still housed in their family groups, at a median age of 57 weeks (48-< 70 weeks). Median body weight at the age of sexual maturity was 473 g (N=10; 420-543 g). This corresponded to 90% of the median non-pregnant body weight of breeding females in our colony (526 g, N=8). Therefore, Goeldi's monkey is similar to Leontopithecus but different from Cebuella, Callithrix, and Saguinus, in terms of daughters ovulating in the family group and at a relatively young age.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight; D016647:Callimico / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011276:Pregnanediol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*