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INHIBITION OF OVULATION BY THE CORPUS LUTEUM IN THE RED KANGAROO, MEGALEIA RUFA

Summary.: When plant growth occurred following rainfall after a period of drought in western New South Wales, Australia, 35% of a sample of sixty-five female red kangaroos were about to come into oestrus, were in oestrus or had recently been in oestrus. Only 19% of a sample taken in a comparable locality were at oestrous stages during a season of normal rainfall. After rainfall kangaroos which had failed to exhibit post-partum oestrus during the preceding drought came into oestrus and ovulated while suckling pouch young up to 163 days old. Ovulation after rainfall did not occur in kangaroos with a functional corpus luteum or a resting corpus luteum of lactation in one or other ovary. This suggests that the corpus luteum of the red kangaroo exerts an ovulation-inhibiting effect and that ovulation in this species, unlike in some other marsupials, is not inhibited by suckling. Removal of corpora lutea of lactation in suckling animals and of functional corpora lutea in non-suckling animals was followed by precocious return to oestrus. There was, however, evidence that non-suckling animals returned to oestrus following ablation of the corpus luteum sooner than did suckling animals.