Do cortisol and corticosterone play the same role in coping with stressors? Measuring glucocorticoid serum in free-ranging guanacos (Lama guanicoe)

摘要: Habitat can constrain and shape successful ecological physiological strategies, thus providing the context for evolution of life-history traits. However, unpredictable challenges, such as storms, natural disasters, human activities also have great effects on stress. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are adrenal steroid hormones that play an important role in how vertebrates cope with these predictable environmental challenges. Although assessing GCs levels many applications study wildlife and/or captive animals, or without capturing individuals, it requires a species-specific complete validation (analytical biological) before its use. In this work, our aim was to: (a) validate radioimmunoassay (RIA) measuring L. guanicoe serum; (b) assess cortisol corticosterone (if present) serum wild individuals; (c) compare response to acute stressors (handling, shearing, release). Our results successfully: validated RIA asses ungulates; confirmed presence showed both differently affected by stimuli guanicoe; exhibit different patterns field stressors, making camelids interesting endocrinological model when seeking adaptive functions given variation further emphasizing complexity GC physiology mammals.