The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis in two sexually dimorphic pinniped species - is there a sex difference in immunity during early development?

The 'immunocompetence handicap hypothesis' predicts that highly sexually dimorphic and polygynous species will exhibit sex differences in immunity. We tested this hypothesis in southern elephant and grey seals during their early development by measuring the following parameters: leucocyte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Developmental & Comparative Immunology
Main Authors: Hall, AJ, Englehard, GH, Brasseur, SMJM, Vecchione, A, Burton, HR, Reijnders, PJH
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2003
Subjects:
southern elephant seals
grey seals
immunocompetence
disease resistance
FIRST-YEAR SURVIVAL
MIROUNGA-LEONINA
MACQUARIE-ISLAND
PHOCA-VITULINA
HALICHOERUS-GRYPUS
BLOOD-CHEMISTRY
HIRUNDO-RUSTICA
WEANING MASS
BARN SWALLOW
Elephant Seals
Macquarie Island
Mirounga leonina
Phoca vitulina
Southern Elephant Seals
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11370/c6ae46eb-d3a4-4f5e-8232-8ec25cf71d18
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/the-immunocompetence-handicap-hypothesis-in-two-sexually-dimorphic-pinniped-species--is-there-a-sex-difference-in-immunity-during-early-development(c6ae46eb-d3a4-4f5e-8232-8ec25cf71d18).html
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-305X(03)00029-6
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Summary:The 'immunocompetence handicap hypothesis' predicts that highly sexually dimorphic and polygynous species will exhibit sex differences in immunity. We tested this hypothesis in southern elephant and grey seals during their early development by measuring the following parameters: leucocyte counts, serum IgG levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and haematocrit. We failed to find any differences due to sex as assessed by the parameters investigated. Animals were sampled longitudinally during their development and there were significant age effects from birth to weaning in both species. Total and differential leucocyte counts and erythrocyte sedimentation rates increased just prior to weaning then decreased. Haematocrits declined whilst total circulating inummoglobulin G concentrations increased. Body temperatures remained constant throughout the postnatal period. Differences between the species were seen in total leucocyte counts and in polymorphonuclear cells and eosinophils. Southern elephant seals had higher concentrations than grey seals and total leucocyte counts in the former were among the highest reported for mammals. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

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