Gland striped skunk

In contrast to the relatively limited number of organosulfur compounds in these species, the anal sac secretions of skunks contain large numbers of malodorous compounds, which are very effectively utilized in the defensive behavior of these species. During the early years of capillary gas chromatography, Andersen et al. [108] found that 150 of the 160 components detected in the anal gland secretion of the striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, contained sulfur. The results of recent chemical studies on North American skunks by Wood et al. [109] are summarized in Table 4. Only three of the compounds reported in this table are common to the secretions of all four skunk species and, in two of these three secretions, the common compound is present in concentrations of about 1% or less. Although it is clear that skunks use their anal gland secretions primarily for defensive purposes, it does not rule out the possibility that the difference in the composition of these secretions could also be utilized for... 

The secretion of the anal glands of skunks epitomizes mammalian defense secretions. Sulfur compovmds in the scent of striped skunk Mephitis mephitis) include rra 5-2-butene-l-thiol, 3-methyl-l-butanethiol (Andersen and Bernstein, 1975), rra 5-2-butenyl thioacetate, 3-methylbutanyl thioacetate, and 2-quinolinemethane thiol (Wood, 1990 Fig. 10.9). The thiols, once called mercaptans (because they captured mercury atoms), are like alcohols with a sulfur atom in place of the oxygen. In the striped skvmk, the thioacetates break down in water. They yield thiols, which have the more potent, characteristic skunk odor and linger for up to 2 weeks. In the spotted skunk, by contrast, the... 

In our initial study we investigated the major volatile organic constituents of the scent of the striped skunk. The scent was collected by a commercial skunk breeder from live young male and female skunks during surgical removal of their anal scent glands. 

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