Avian pineal gland: progonadotropic response in the Japanese quail.

Pinealectomy in juvenile Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) exposed to stimulatory photoperiods results in delay of ovarian and oviducal development and decreased pituitary weight. These effects are transitory and occur during a phase of growth immediately preceding the onset of sexual maturity. No effect was found in males. These results suggest that the pineal gland in females has a stimulatory effect on gonadal growth during maturation.