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J Chem Ecol (2012) 38:14501461 DOI 10.1007/s10886-012-0206-7
Identification of Volatiles from the Secretions and Excretions of African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus)
Peter Apps & Lesego Mmualefe & J. Weldon McNutt
Received: 11 July 2012 /Revised: 5 October 2012 /Accepted: 18 October 2012 /Published online: 6 November 2012 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2012
Abstract Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to identify 103 organic compounds from urine, feces, anal glands, and preputial glands of free-ranging African wild dogs, Lycaon pictus. Aliphatic acids were the dominant class of compound in all materials. In addition to aliphatic acids, urine contained dimethyl sulfone, 1,3-propanediol, benzoic acid, 1-methyl-2,4-imidazolidinedione, and squalene as major components: feces contained indole and cholesterol; and both contained 2-piperidone, phenol, 4-methyl phenol, benzene-acetic acid, and benzenepropanoic acid and other compounds. Anal gland secretion was particularly rich in cholesterol and fatty acids, and preputial gland secretion rich in squalene. A large majority of the identified compounds have been reported from other mammals, including species sympatric with African wild dogs. Eleven of the African wild dog components have not been reported previously from mammals and have not been found in sympatric species; one component, 1-methylimidazole-5-carboxaldehyde has not been reported previously as a natural product. In the chemical profiles of their urine, feces, and anal gland secretion African wild dogs differ markedly from other canids.
Keywords Lycaon pictus . African wild dog .
Semiochemical . Pheromone . Chemical communication . Scent mark
Introduction
African wild dogs, Lycaon pictus, are highly social, large predators that live in packs, typically with 49 adults, 26 yearlings, and up to a dozen pups (Woodroffe et al., 2004). They are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 2012), and their numbers are declining due to habitat loss and human activities (Creel et al., 2004; Woodroffe et al., 2004). Packs occupy large home ranges (Woodroffe et al., 2004), and neighbors avoid each other, even though ranges overlap (Woodroffe, 2011). Rare meetings between packs can be extremely aggressive and sometimes fatal (Creel and Creel, 2002); intra-specific aggression is the most common cause of natural mortality in Selous Game Reserve and the second most common cause of natural mortality in Kruger National Park (Creel and Creel, 1998; Woodroffe et al., 2004). African...