The scent of rutting male ringed seals (Phoca hispida) |
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| Authors: | M Ryg Y Solberg C Lydersen and T G Smith |
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| Institution: | University of Oslo, Department of Biology, PO Box 1051, Blindern, 0316 Oslo 3, Norway;Chemical Research Laboratory, Agricultural University of Norway, PO Box 31, N-1432 Ås-NLH, Norway;University of Oslo, Department of Biology, PO Box 1051, Blindern, 0316 Oslo 3, Norway;Fisheries and Oceans, Arctic Biological Station, Ste-Anne de Bellevue, Province de Québec, Canada H9X 3R4 |
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| Abstract: | Odorous substances of rutting male ringed seals (Phoca hispida) were studied by extracting facial skin, which contains hypertrophied sebaceous and apocrine sweat glands, with methanol/hexane, and analysing the extracts with gas chromatography and combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The extract contained high concentrations of a tertiary amine, three aminoalcohols, several organosulphur compounds, and two hydrocarbons. We suggest that the ringed seal males use scent to mark the breathing holes and subnivean lairs within their territories. Some of the lipids in the extract were not found in extracts from sexually immature males, and these lipids may be important as vehicles for scent deposition. |
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