Scent glands

CifiHjoO. A yellow liquid b.p. 330°C. The perfume base obtained from the scent glands of the Tibetan musk deer also available by synthesis. 

Benzoic acid in the free state, or in the form of simple derivatives such as salts, esters, and amides, is widely distributed in nature. Gum benzoin (from styrax ben in) may contain as much as 20% benzoic acid in the free state or in combinations easily broken up by heating. Acaroid resin (from anthorrhoca haslilis) contains from 4.5 to 7%. Smaller amounts of the free acid are found in natural products including the scent glands of the beaver, the bark of the black cherry tree, cranberries, pmnes, ripe cloves, and oil of anise seed. Pern and Tolu balsams contain benzyl benzoate the latter contains free benzoic acid as well. The urine of herbivorous animals contains a small proportion of the glycine derivative of benzoic acid, hippuric acid [495-69-2] (CgH CONHCH2COOH). So-called natural benzoic acid is not known to be available as an item of commerce. 

Wehrdriise, /. defensive scent gland, wehren, v.t. check, keep, restrain, prevent. — ti.r. resist. 

Multiple ChemoSignalling (scent — gland diversity) in Lesser Spotted Genet (from YVemmer, 1977). 

Signal complexity presumably favours the operation of a joint analysis of chemosignals. Multiple sources of signal mixtures, such as the local scent-gland array in Genets (Heading Fig. above), is one such mechanism, and others will doubtless emerge (Natynczuk and Macdonald, 1994 Ferkin and Johnston, 1995). 

Barrette C. (1976). Musculature of facial scent glands in the muntjac. J Anat 122, 16-26. 

Quay W.B. (1977). Structure and function of scent glands. In Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 1 (Muller-Schwarze D. and Mozell M.M., eds.). Plenum, New York,... 

Fig. 16.1 Gas-chromatograph mass spectrometer profile of scent from the anal scent gland of three adult female spotted hyenas from the same social group...

Our behavioural observations suggested that spotted hyenas actively acquired scent from other clan members when they pasted over stalks of vegetation that held scent deposited by another clan member. During this process the scent of other clan members may be taken into the protruded scent gland as well as being rubbed onto the pasting individual s fur. As clan membership is not static over time, there is probably a need for clan members to continuously anoint themselves with the scent of other clan members to retain the current clan odour. 

Thiessen, D. and Rice, M. (1976) Mammalian scent gland marking and social behavior. Psychol. Bull. 83, 505-39. 

A prominent characteristic of most true bugs is their use of defensive chemicals produced in specialized scent glands, usually found in the abdomen in im-matures, and in the metathorax in adults. However, this pattern is not absolute species that feed on poisonous plants from which they sequester toxic chemical defenses tend to have reduced or modified glands [8,26-28]. Many of these species are also aposematic, vividly advertising their toxicity to would-be predators. The defensive chemistry of bugs has been the subject of a number of reviews [4,6,8,9,12,29,30] and will only be summarized here, with a focus on compounds with interesting or unusual chemistry. 

Scent glands often have accessoiy structures that store secretion, enlarge the surface for scent dispersal, serve as applicators during scent marking, or provide opportunities for bacterial action or interaction of compounds that may come from different sources. 

Special modified hair in the region of a scent gland can enhance its function. Such scent hairs have been termed osmetrichia (Miiller-Schwarze et ah, 1977 Fig. 3.12). They may be stiff bristles with surface chambers formed by their cuticular scales, as in the tarsal tuft of black-tailed deer (Fig. 3.12a), spoon or spatula like, as in the ventral gland of the Mongolian gerbil Meriories unguiculatus Fig. 3.12d), or a wick formed by a hollow medulla and vacuolated cortical... 

As in other sensoiy modalities, sex differences of anatomical structures such as scent glands, chemical composition of secretions, and behaviors associated with scent communication are more pronounced in species with polygamous mating systems than those with monogamy. 

In mammals, males usually have stronger odors, larger and/or more scent glands, scent mark more often, and respond more to alien scent marks. Selection on the basis of odor differences can take place at the level of the individual, deme, population, or subspecies. In polygamous species, intrasexual selection via male-male or female-female competition and sexual selection can be most intense. Most mammals are polygamous, so odor dimorphism is probably widespread (Blaustein, 1981). 

---