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The Harderian Gland of the Blind Mole Rat

Possible Functions

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Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates

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Abstract

The mole rat’s Harderian gland is a large organ occupying a considerable part of the ocular orbit. The gland is sexually dimorphic, being larger in males than females. A sex difference is also apparent in the length of the alcohol groups and the saturation of the fatty acid groups of the wax esters which constitute the main chemical components of the gland. In addition, male glands bear a highly volatile compound, 1, (3’) hexenyl benzene. The gland lipids drain into the conjunctival sac via a single wide secretory duct. From the conjunctival sac the gland secretions drain to the external nasal cavity through the nasolacrimal duct, and spread on the fur mostly by the action of grooming behavior. The gland products can also be secreted directly to the fur on the head through a second, albeit smaller duct, which is unique for the mole rat. Grooming, which is rarely exhibited by mole rats when they are alone, was found to be associated with both cold ambient temperatures and with aggressive social encounters. We suggest that spreading the lipids on the fur during grooming facilitates the mole rat’s adaptation to cold and damp by insulating its body, and that the secretion provides information about species, sex and individual identity. The secretion may also have an appeasement function; male secretions reduce conspecific male and female aggression, a very valuable asset in this highly aggressive species.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

    Uri Shanas & Joseph Terkel

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  1. Uri Shanas
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  2. Joseph Terkel
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA

    Robert E. Johnston

  2. College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York—Syracuse, Syracuse, New York, USA

    Dietland Müller-Schwarze

  3. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Minnesota—St. Paul, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

    Peter W. Sorensen

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Shanas, U., Terkel, J. (1999). The Harderian Gland of the Blind Mole Rat. In: Johnston, R.E., Müller-Schwarze, D., Sorensen, P.W. (eds) Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4733-4_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4733-4_29

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