Characterizing the annual cycle of steroid hormones in males from an invasive vertebrate (Python bivittatus) of management concern

Gabriela Logo; Mark Robert Sandfoss; Natalie Claunch; Andrea F. Currylow; Ian A. Bartoszek; Ian Easterling; Amy A. Yackel Adams; Christina Romagosa

doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.114959

Characterizing the annual cycle of steroid hormones in males from an invasive vertebrate (Python bivittatus) of management concern

General and Comparative Endocrinology

By: Gabriela Logo, Mark Robert Sandfoss, Natalie Claunch, Andrea F. Currylow, Ian A. Bartoszek, Ian Easterling, Amy A. Yackel Adams, and Christina Romagosa

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.114959

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Abstract

South Florida's subtropical climate has facilitated the establishment of numerous invasive species, including the Burmese python (Python bivittatus). Despite decades of efforts to manage the invasive python population across South Florida, we lack a comprehensive understanding of their reproductive physiology, limiting the development of targeted control strategies. Here, we characterized seasonal patterns of testosterone (T) and corticosterone (CORT) in free-ranging adult male pythons and evaluated environmental correlates of hormone variation. Results indicate that T peaks before the onset of the breeding season and declines through the season to baseline levels in the non-breeding season. CORT did not show a clear seasonal trend but showed greater variability during the breeding season. These findings reveal that photoperiod and ambient temperature are key environmental correlates of male hormone cycles, contributing to our understanding of the endocrine phenology of a tropical ectotherm in a novel environment.

Suggested Citation

Logo, G., Sandfoss, M.R., Claunch, N., Currylow, A.F., Bartoszek, I.A., Easterling, I., Yackel Adams, A.A., and Romagosa, C., 2026, Characterizing the annual cycle of steroid hormones in males from an invasive vertebrate (Python bivittatus) of management concern: General and Comparative Endocrinology, v. 382, 114959, 9 p., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.114959.

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Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Characterizing the annual cycle of steroid hormones in males from an invasive vertebrate (Python bivittatus) of management concern
Series title	General and Comparative Endocrinology
DOI	10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.114959
Volume	382
Publication Date	June 10, 2026
Year Published	2026
Language	English
Publisher	Elsevier
Contributing office(s)	Fort Collins Science Center
Description	114959, 9 p.
Country	United States
State	Florida
Other Geospatial	Big Cypress National Preserve