Burmese python males show a seasonal hormone shift before breeding

Burmese python coiled in the grass in the Everglades. Image Credit: Wikipedia Burmese python males in South Florida undergo a marked seasonal change in testosterone as the breeding period approaches, while another hormone linked to stress and energy use follows a less predictable pattern. A study published in General and Comparative Endocrinology tracked testosterone and corticosterone in free-ranging male Burmese pythons to examine how their hormone levels change across the year. The researchers found that testosterone rises before breeding, and then falls steadily, while corticosterone varies more widely during the breeding period without showing the same clear seasonal cycle.How does testosterone change before Burmese python breedingThe clearest shift involved testosterone, a hormone closely associated with male reproduction. According to the study, testosterone increased as the breeding period approached and reached its highest levels in November, just before breeding began. It then declined through the breeding season before returning to baseline levels during the non-breeding months.That timing is important because it suggests that the hormonal preparation for reproduction be...