This study aimed to assess the seasonal reproductive strategy occurring in the male Lesser Egyptian jerboa (Jaculus jaculus) and determine which environmental cues are responsible for initiating reproductive recrudescence. Body mass, morphometry of the reproductive tract, the histology of the testes and the circulating testosterone concentrations in wild male J. jaculus, from central Saudi Arabia, were studied over 12 consecutive months. Furthermore, sixteen additional males were collected and subsequently placed on either a short‐day (SD) or a long‐day (LD) light schedule under controlled laboratory conditions. Using these male reproductive parameters, we investigated the potential proximate environmental cues that may trigger the onset of reproduction. Unexpectedly, males were reproductively active during three out of the four seasons, namely autumn, winter and spring possibly due to the rainfall that fell at an unprecedented frequency and quantity during this time. However, we revealed the importance of other environmental triggers, namely photoperiod and ambient temperature, on the control of male reproduction in J. jaculus. Decreasing photoperiod (SD) and ambient temperature were observed to activate the reproductive system by increasing plasma testosterone concentration. The male Lesser Egyptian jerboa was found to exhibit a marked seasonal reproduction controlled by the environmental cues of ambient temperature and photoperiod.

中文翻译：

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阐明了光周期，降雨和环境温度对沙特阿拉伯中部雄性小埃及j（Jaculus jaculus）的繁殖生理的作用

这项研究的目的是评估发生在雄性小埃及j（Jaculus jaculus）中的季节性繁殖策略，并确定哪些环境提示导致了生殖再发。体重，生殖道的形态，睾丸的组织学和野生雄性循环睾酮浓度J. jaculus来自沙特阿拉伯中部的研究人员连续12个月进行了研究。此外，又收集了十六只雄性，随后在受控的实验室条件下按短日（SD）或长日（LD）的光照时间表进行饲养。使用这些雄性生殖参数，我们调查了可能触发繁殖开始的潜在环境暗示。出乎意料的是，在秋季，冬季和春季这四个季节中的三个季节中，有三个季节雄性生殖活动活跃，这可能是由于这段时间降雨和雨量以前所未有的频率下降所致。然而，我们揭示了其他环境触发因素，即光周期和环境温度，对控制Ja。jaculus中雄性生殖的重要性。。观察到光周期（SD）和环境温度的降低会通过增加血浆睾丸激素的浓度来激活生殖系统。发现雄性小埃及j具有明显的季节性繁殖，受环境温度和光周期的环境提示控制。