Abstract
Tortoise pineal serotonin and melatonin levels show marked circadian and circannual rhythms in a natural environment. These rhythms have been analyzed by applying a least square fitting procedure to determine the parameters entering sine or cyclic gaussian functions compared to the experimental values. In these reptiles, as in mammals and birds, serotonin is synthesized during the day, while melatonin is synthesized at night. Both the maximum concentration and the amplitude of circadian fluctuations are increased during the breeding season; circadian rhythms disappear completely during winter and hibernation. The physiological significance of these rhythms remains to be determined and needs further investigation.
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