Sexual and individual cues in the peri-anal gland secretum of crested porcupines (Hystrix cristata)

摘要: Abstract As for other rodents, peri-anal glands are well developed in the crested porcupine Hystrix cristata. Their waxy secretion has a peculiar odour, usually perceivable around dens. Male African H. africaeaustralis use this to mark feeding sites captivity, but its function cristata never been studied yet. Through live-trapping Central Italy, we sampled gland contents of 33 freely living porcupines (19 males and 14 females), and, 5 animals, 2-3 subsequent collections were made at different times. GC-MS analyses showed that volatile component is complex mixture, mainly constituted by aliphatic compounds. The principal constituents saturated unsaturated γ-lactones, macrolactones, primary alcohols fatty acids. composition was similar between sexes, two compounds (nonadecan-1-ol compound tentatively identified as 16-methyl oxacyclohexadecan-2-one) significantly more frequent than females. We compared squared Euclidean distances relative abundances all possible couple specimens, found average distance females higher males, lower hypothesized that, although adult, variability might be due physiological differences individuals (e.g. reproductive status). Using same approach, chemical profiles (inter-individual variability) greater intra-individual variability, suggesting secretions may play role individual recognition.