Chemical Profiles of Integumentary and Glandular Substrates in Australian Sea Lion Pups (Neophoca cinerea).

Chemical Profiles of Integumentary and Glandular Substrates in Australian Sea Lion Pups (Neophoca cinerea). Chem Senses. 2019 Feb 25;: Authors: Wierucka K, Barthes N, Pitcher BJ, Schaal B, Charrier I, Harcourt RG Abstract Recognition of individuals or classes of individuals plays an important role in the communication systems of many mammals. The ability of otariid (i.e., fur seal and sea lion) females to locate and identify their offspring in colonies after returning from regular foraging trips is essential to successful pup rearing. It has been shown that olfaction is used to confirm the identity of the pup by the mother when they reunite, yet the processes by which this chemical recognition occurs remain unclear. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we examined chemical profiles of integumentary and glandular secretions/excretions from pre- and post-molt Australian sea lion pups (Neophoca cinerea) and compared fur and swab samples to assess data collection methods. Multivariate statistics were applied to assess differences in chemical composition between body regions and sexes. We found differences among secretions from various body regions, driven by the distinctiveness of the oral odor mixture. The fine-scale trends in pre- and post-molt pups seem to differ due to changes in the behavior of pups and consequent decrease in the transfer of compounds among adjacent body regions in older pups. Volatile compounds from exocrine...
Source: Chemical Senses - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: Chem Senses Source Type: research