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über den Informationsinhalt des Sternaldrüsensekretes mÄnnlicher und weiblicherTupaia belangeri

Information on sternal gland secretions of male and femaleTupaia belangeri

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Summary

The sternal gland secretion of male and female tupaias was rubbed off with filter paper, and the information conveyed by these “scent marks” was tested with individuals of both sexes in a T-maze.

  1. 1.

    Tupaias are able to distinguish between the sexes and to recognize specific individuals by the odor of the sternal gland secretion.

  2. 2.

    If maintained under constant laboratory conditions, fertile male tupaias produce sternal gland secretions which are unique to each individual. This uniqueness is very stable: The information conveyed remained the same, no matter whether the scent marks were freshly prepared or stored for up to 8 months at room temperature.

  3. 3.

    If the sternal gland secretion of a fertile male tupaia is smeared over that of another male, the original odor is no longer recognized.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoologisches Institut der UniversitÄt München, München, Bundesrepublik Deutschland

    Dietrich v. Holst & Sonja Lesk

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  1. Dietrich v. Holst
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  2. Sonja Lesk
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Holst, D.v., Lesk, S. über den Informationsinhalt des Sternaldrüsensekretes mÄnnlicher und weiblicherTupaia belangeri . J. Comp. Physiol. 103, 173–188 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00617120

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00617120

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