Diestrual (Adjective)
Meaning
(of animals that have several estrous cycles in one breeding season) in a period of sexual inactivity.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- Polyestrous species experience periodic diestrual phases between estrus, marking a decrease in hormone levels and reproductive activity.
- A female cat is typically anestrous during winter and returns to her diestrual state briefly between heats during the breeding season.
- Some mammals return to a diestrual phase of reduced sexual receptivity shortly after mating and during pregnancy.
- During the non-breeding season, a female rabbit will transition through diestrual phases, and anestrus occurs rarely in young does.
- A number of diestrual behaviors are present after mating has occurred in some deer, with individuals focusing on nourishment preparation.