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Volatile components of the occipital gland secretion of the bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus)

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Abstract

The male Bactrian camel's occipital scent gland produces a series of steroids including 5α-androst-16-en-3-one in addition to a series of fatty acids and γ-dodecalactone. 3-Methylbutanoic acid is the most volatile of the acids which include hexanoic, a decenoic, and the saturated acids from C15 to C25 with the exception of C24. The constitution of this secretion changes appreciably with the season.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Howard University, 20059, Washington, D. C.

    F. Ayorinde & J. W. Wheeler

  2. National Zoological Conservation Center, 22630, Front Royal, Virginia

    C. Wemmer & J. Murtaugh

Authors
  1. F. Ayorinde
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  2. J. W. Wheeler
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  3. C. Wemmer
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  4. J. Murtaugh
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Ayorinde, F., Wheeler, J.W., Wemmer, C. et al. Volatile components of the occipital gland secretion of the bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus). J Chem Ecol 8, 177–183 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00984014

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00984014

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