Abstract
Dichloromethane extracts of wolverine (Gulo gulo, Mustelinae, Mustelidae) anal gland secretion were examined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The secretion composition was complex and variable for the six samples examined: 123 compounds were detected in total, with the number per animal ranging from 45 to 71 compounds. Only six compounds were common to all extracts: 3-methylbutanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, phenylacetic acid, α-tocopherol, cholesterol, and a compound tentatively identified as 2-methyldecanoic acid. The highly odoriferous thietanes and dithiolanes found in anal gland secretions of some members of the Mustelinae [ferrets, mink, stoats, and weasels (Mustela spp.) and zorillas (Ictonyx spp.)] were not observed. The composition of the wolverine’s anal gland secretion is similar to that of two other members of the Mustelinae, the pine and beech marten (Martes spp.).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
E. S. Albone (1984) Mammalian Semiochemistry John Wiley & Sons New York
P. J. Apps H. W. Viljoen V. Pretorius E. R. Rohwer (1988) ArticleTitleVolatile components of the anal gland secretion of the striped polecat, Ictonyx striatus S. Afr. J. Zool. 23 136–137
C. Brinck R. Gerell G. Odham (1978) ArticleTitleAnal pouch secretion in mink Mustela vison. Chemical communication in Mustelidae Oikos 30 68–75
C. Brinck S. Erlinge M. Sandell (1983) ArticleTitleAnal sac secretion in mustelids. A comparison J. Chem. Ecol. 9 727–745 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00988779
A. J. Buglass F. M. C. Darling J. S. Waterhouse (1991) ArticleTitleDimethyldithiolanes in the anal sac secretion of the weasel, Mustela nivalis Z. Naturforsch. C 46 166–167 Occurrence Handle2039581
B. V. Burger (2005) Mammalian semiochemicals S. Schulz (Eds) The Chemistry of Pheromones and Other Semiochemicals II: Topics in Current Chemistry 240 Springer-Verlag Berlin 231–278
Crump, D. R. 1978. 2-Propylthietane, the major malodorous substance from the anal gland of the stoat (Mustela erminea). Tetrahedron Lett. 5233–5234.
D. R. Crump (1980) ArticleTitleThietanes and dithiolanes from the anal gland of the stoat (Mustela erminea) J. Chem. Ecol. 6 341–347 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01402912
D. R. Crump (1980) ArticleTitleAnal gland secretion of the ferret (Mustela putorius forma furo) J. Chem. Ecol. 6 837–844 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00990407
D. R. Crump P. J. Moors (1985) ArticleTitleAnal gland secretions of the stoat (Mustela erminea) and the ferret (Mustela putorius forma furo): some additional thietane components J. Chem. Ecol. 11 1037–1043 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01020673
J. W. Dragoo R. L. Honeycutt (1997) ArticleTitleSystematics of mustelid-like carnivores J. Mammal. 78 426–443
R. F. Ewer (1973) The Carnivores Cornell University Press Ithaca, NY
B. Haglund (1966) ArticleTitleDe stora rovdjurens vintervanos Viltrevy 4 245–283
H. S. Hash (1987) Wolverine M. Novak J. A. Baker M. E. Obbard B. Malloch (Eds) Wild Furbearer Management and Conservation in North America Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Peterborough, Ontario, Canada 574–585
H. H. T. Jackson (1961) Mammals of Wisconsin University of Wisconsin Press Madison, WI
G. M. Koehler M. G. Hornocker H. S. Hash (1980) ArticleTitleWolverine marking behavior Can. Field-Nat. 94 339–341
K. P. Koepfli R. K. Wayne (2003) ArticleTitleType I STS markers are more informative than cytochrome b in phylogenetic reconstruction of the Mustelidae (Mammalia: Carnivora) Syst. Biol. 52 571–593 Occurrence Handle10.1080/10635150390235368 Occurrence Handle14530127
P. Krott (1959) ArticleTitleDer Vielfrass (Gulo gulo L. 1758) Monogr. Wildsäuget. 13 1–159
C. D. Long (1987) Intraspecific communication of the wolverine B. Townsend (Eds) Abstracts of the Fourth Northern Furbearer Conference Alaska Department of Fish and Game Juneau, Alaska 13
Magoun, A. J. 1985. Population characteristics, ecology, and management of wolverines in northwestern Alaska. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
M. Pasitschniak-Arts S. Larivière (1995) ArticleTitleGulo gulo Mamm. Species 499 1–10
E. Pulliainen P. Ovaskainen (1975) ArticleTitleTerritory marking by a wolverine (Gulo gulo) in northeastern Lapland Ann. Zool. Fenn. 12 268–270
H. Schildknecht C. Birkner (1983) ArticleTitleStructure and action of mustelid ecomones. III. Analysis of the anal gland secretion of Middle European mustelids Chem.-Ztg. 107 267–270
H. Schildknecht I. Wilz F. Enzmann N. Grund M. Ziegler (1976) ArticleTitleOn mustelane the anal gland fetid material of the mink (Mustela vison) and skunk (Mustela putorius) Angew. Chem. 88 228
H. Schildknecht C. Birkner D. Krauss (1981) ArticleTitleStructure and action of mustelid ecomones. II. Further analysis of the anal gland secretion of the mink Mustela vison L Chem.-Ztg. 105 273–286
J. W. Wheeler L. Nyalley D. M. Davis P. J. Weldon (1997) ArticleTitleAdditional sulfur compounds from the anal glands of the striped polecat, Ictonyx striatus Z. Naturforsch. C 52 283–285 Occurrence Handle9167280
J.-X. Zhang L. Sun Z.-B. Zhang Z.-W. Wang Y. Chen R. Wang (2002) ArticleTitleVolatile compounds in anal gland of Siberian weasels (Mustela sibirica) and steppe polecats (M. eversmanni) J. Chem. Ecol. 28 1287–1297 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1016246120479 Occurrence Handle12184403
J.-X. Zhang J. Ni X.-J. Ren L. Sun Z.-B. Zhang Z.-W. Wang (2003) ArticleTitlePossible coding for recognition of sexes, individuals and species in anal gland volatiles of Mustela eversmanni and M. sibirica Chem. Senses 28 381–388 Occurrence Handle10.1093/chemse/28.5.381 Occurrence Handle12826534
Acknowledgments
We thank Audrey Magoun, Allen Barrette of Fairbanks Fur Tannery, and Tom Seaton of the Alaska Department of Fish & Game for help in obtaining the samples.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wood, W.F., Terwilliger, M.N. & Copeland, J.P. Volatile Compounds from Anal Glands of the Wolverine, Gulo gulo. J Chem Ecol 31, 2111–2117 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-005-6080-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-005-6080-9