Interdigital secretions

In a more comprehensive study, 46 constituents were identified in the interdigital secretion of the white-tailed deer, 0. virginianus [129]. Only relatively volatile compounds up to methyl salicylate were identified in the secretion, because samples for GC-MS analysis were enriched from the headspace gas of the secretion collected on cotton swabs. Some variations in the relative concentrations of the compounds between the secretions from dominant and subordinate animals were observed, but it was not possible to conclude definitely whether these differences were related to age or dominance. 

Chemical work on the exocrine secretions of African antelope has concentrated on the interdigital secretions of members of the subfamily Alcelaphinae and the preorbital secretions of members of the subfamilies Antilopinae and Cephalo-phinae. 

African alcelaphine bovids have interdigital glands only on their forefeet. So far chemical work has been done on the interdigital secretions of the bontebok, Damaliscus dorcas dorcas, and another subspecies, the blesbok, D. d. phillipsi, the gnu or black wildebeest, Connochaetes gnou, and the red hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus caama. 

Table 7 Compounds identified in the interdigital secretions of the bontebok, Damaliscus dorcas dorcas andblesbok, D. d.phillipsi [2]... 

Fig. 5 Cyclic terpenoid ethers identified in the interdigital secretion of the red hartebeest...

The interdigital secretion of the red hartebeest, A. b. caama, consists of fewer compound classes. It contains a few alkanes and short-chain, branched alcohols, fatty acids, including a few of the higher fatty acids up to octadecanoic acid, an epoxide and the cyclic ethers, rans-(2 ,5.R)-furanoid linalool oxide 23, as-(2JR,5S)-furanoid linalool oxide 24 and ds-(2S,5i )-furanoid linalool oxide 25 (Fig. 5) in a ratio of 2.5 1 1.5 respectively [138]. From the point of view that many of the constituents of the interdigital secretion of this animal are probably of microbial origin, it is interesting that cis- and trans- furanoid linalool oxides have also been found in castoreum [77]. 

Miiller-Schwarze, D., Kallquist, L., Mossing, T., Brundin, A., and Andersson, G. (1978b). Response of reindeer to interdigital secretion of conspecifics. JournaZ ofChemical Ecology 4,325-335. 

Muller-Schwartze, D., and C. Muller-Schwartze Subspecies Specificity of Response to a Mammalian Social Odor. J. Chem. Ecol. 1, 125-131 (1975). Muller-Schwartze, D., L. Kallquist, T. Mossing, A. Brundin, and G. Anders-son Responses of Reindeer to Interdigital Secretions of Conspeciflcs. J. Chem. Ecol. 4, 325-335 (1978). 

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