Cynops ensicauda

Yamamoto K., Kawai Y., Hayashi T., Ohe Y., et al. (2000). Silefrin, a sodefrin-like pheromone in the abdominal gland of the sword-tailed newt, Cynops ensicauda. FEBS Lett 472, 267-270. 

Sword-tailed newt Cynops ensicauda Male Abdominal gland Attracts female Silefrin (decapeptide) Yamamoto etal., 2000... 

Male red-bellied newts, Cynops pyrrhogaster (Salamandridae), attract females with a pheromone that is released into the water from epithelial cells of the abdominal gland of the cloaca. A decapeptide called sodefrin (Ser-Ile-Pro-Ser-Lys-Asp-Ala-Leu-Leu-Lys) is the first amphibian pheromone with female-attracting properties ever chemically identified (Kikuyama etal., 1995). Silefrin in the related sword-tailed newt, Cynops ensicauda, is a similar decapeptide and differs from sodefrin in only two amino acid residues (Yamamoto et al, 2000) (Table 7.3). 

Amphibian pheromones have been previously isolated fh>m newt and salamander species, however, this peptide, which we have named splendipherin, is the first pheromone isolated fiom any anuran species. The delivery method of those previously isolated amphibian species are very clear. Sodefiin, the ten-residue peptide pheromone of Cynops pyrrhogaster and silefiin, the ten residue peptide pheromone of Cynops ensicauda are both sent through the water by the male newts by a vigorous shaking movement of the tail (Kikuyama et al., 1995 Yamamoto et al., 2000). The 20 kDa proteinaceous male courtship pheromone of Plethodon jordani is applied to the female s sldn by direct contact (Rollman et al., 1999). 

Sodefrins, peptide pheromones from the red-bellied newt. The 10-peptide H-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ser-Lys-Asp-Ala-Leu-Leu-Lys -OH was first isolated from the abdominal gland of the male newt Cynops pyrrhogaster, while [Leu, Gln ]sodefrin occurs in C. ensicauda. The sodefrins are potent conspecific female-attracting pheromones, and act primarily on the lateral nasal sinus cells [S. Kikuyama et al.. Science 1995, 267,1643 T. Nakada et al.. Front. Neuroendicrinol. 2006, 27,149]. 

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