Abstract
The skin lipids of female red-sided garter snakes contain a series of methyl ketones which function as a sexual attractiveness pheromone. The pheromone is likely regulated by oestrogen. As previous studies have focused mainly on adult females, it is unknown whether juvenile garter snakes produce methyl ketones. The current study was designed to determine whether (1) juvenile female garter snakes are physiologically capable of producing methyl ketones and (2) oestrogen initiates or enhances methyl ketone production in juveniles. Snakes were injected with either oestradiol or an oil vehicle, or received no injection. Subsequent chemical analyses of skin lipid samples clearly demonstrated that juveniles were able to produce methyl ketones regardless of treatment. However, we were unable to demonstrate that oestradiol affected methyl ketone production at this stage in the female life cycle.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Achiraman S, Archunan G, Ponmanickam P, Rameshkumar K, Kannan S, John G (2010) 1-Iodo-2 methylundecane [1I2MU]: an oestrogen-dependent urinary sex pheromone of female mice. Theriogenology 74:345–353
Bohnet S, Rogers L, Sasaki G, Kolattukydy PE (1991) Estradiol induces proliferation of peroxisome-like microbodies and the production of 3-hydroxy fatty acid diesters, the female pheromones, in the uropygial glands of male and female mallards. J Biol Chem 266:9795–9804
Cooper WE (1995) Effects of oestrogen and male head coloration on chemosensory investigation of female cloacal pheromones by male broad-headed skinks (Eumeces laticeps). Physiol Behav 58:1221–1225
Costanzo JP (1989) Conspecific scent trailing by garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) during autumn: further evidence for use of pheromones in den location. J Chem Ecol 15:2531–2538
Crews D (1976) Hormonal control of male courtship behavior and female attractivity in the garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). Horm Behav 7:451–460
Crews D (1985) Effects of early sex steroid hormone treatment on courtship behavior and sexual attractivity in the red-sided garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis. Physiol Behav 35:569–575
Gregory PT (1977) Life history parameters of the red-sided garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) in an extreme environment, the Interlake region of Manitoba. Publications in Zoology, No. 13. National Museum of Canada, Ottawa
Iwata E, Wakabayashi Y, Kakuma Y, Kikusui T, Takeuchi Y, Mori Y (2000) Testosterone dependent primer pheromone production in the sebaceous gland of male goat. Biol Reprod 62:806–810
LeMaster MP, Mason RT (2002) Variation in a female sexual attractiveness pheromone controls male mate choice in garter snakes. J Chem Ecol 28:1269–1285
LeMaster MP, Mason RT (2003) Pheromonally mediated sexual isolation among denning populations of red-sided garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis. J Chem Ecol 29:1027–1043
Lombardi JR, Vandenbergh JG, Whitsett JM (1976) Androgen control of the sexual maturation pheromone in house mouse urine. Biol Reprod 15:179–186
Lutterschmidt DI, Mason RT (2009) Endocrine mechanisms mediating temperature-induced reproductive behavior in red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). J Exp Biol 212:3108–3118
Mason RT, Fales HM, Jones TH, Pannell LK, Chinn JW, Crews D (1989) Sex pheromones in snakes. Science 245:290–293
Mason RT, Jones TH, Fales HM, Pannell LK, Crews D (1990) Characterization, synthesis, and behavioral responses to the sex attractiveness pheromones of red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). J Chem Ecol 16:2353–2369
Mendonça MT, Crews D (1996) Effects of ovariectomy and oestrogen replacement on attractivity and receptivity in the red-sided garter snake. J Comp Phys A 178:373–381
Parker MR, Mason RT (2012) How to make a sexy snake: oestrogen activation of female sex pheromone in male garter snakes. J Exp Biol 215:723–730
Parker MR, Mason RT (2009) Low temperature dormancy affects the quantity and quality of the female sexual attractiveness pheromone in red-sided garter snakes. J Chem Ecol 35:1234–1241
Shine R, O’Connor D, Mason RT (2000) Sexual conflict in the snake den. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 48:392–401
Uhrig EJ, Lutterschmidt DI, Mason RT, LeMaster MP (2012) Pheromonal mediation of intraseasonal declines in the attractivity of red-sided garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis. J Chem Ecol 38:71–80
Zar JH (1999) Biostatistical analysis, 4th edn. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by an HHMI Undergraduate Research Award to E.J.U., a Western Oregon University Faculty Development Award to M.P.L. and an NSF grant (0620125) to R.T.M.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Uhrig, E.J., LeMaster, M.P., Lutterschmidt, D.I., Mason, R.T. (2013). Methyl Ketone Production in Juvenile Red-Sided Garter Snakes. In: East, M., Dehnhard, M. (eds) Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 12. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5927-9_19
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5927-9_19
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-5926-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-5927-9
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)