Anogenital gland secretions code for sex and age in the giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca

Abstract

Anogenital gland secretions play a major role in chemical communication by giant pandas, Ailuropoda melanoleuca (David, 1869). We analyzed 45 samples of anogenital gland secretions collected from 24 captive pandas (5 male adults, 6 female adults, 6 male subadults, and 7 female subadults) by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The secretions contained over 95 compounds. Based on 56 common compounds (relative abundances >0.1%) shared by more than three individuals, we identified steroids, long-chain fatty acids, fatty-acid esters, aldehydes, alkanes, alkenes, amines, terpenes, and furans. The chemical composition of each secretion was individual-specific. Although none of these individual compounds was age-or sex-specific, the relative abundances of several compounds differed between males and females and between adults and subadults. This result shows that information about sex and age could be coded in analog form. Information about age but not gender could also be digitally coded by the presence or absence of some of the 56 compounds, in addition to the analog coding.Résumé : Les sécrétions de la glande génito-anale jouent un rôle important dans la communication chimique chez les grands pandas, Ailuropoda melanoleuca (David, 1869). Nous avons analysé 45 prélèvements des sécrétions de la glande génito-anale provenant de 24 pandas en captivité (5 adultes mâles, 6 adultes femelles, 6 subadultes mâles, 7 subadultes femelles) par chromatographie gazeuse et spectrométrie de masse. Les sécrétions contiennent plus de 95 composés. Parmi les 56 des composés communs (d'abondance relative >0,1 %) présents chez plus de trois individus, nous avons identifié des stéroïdes, des acides gras à longue chaîne, des esters d'acides gras, des aldéhydes, des alcanes, des alcè-nes, des amines, des terpènes et des furanes. La composition chimique des sécrétions est propre à chaque individu. Bien qu'aucun de ces composés ne soit spécifique à un âge ou un sexe, l'abondance relative de plusieurs composés diffère entre les mâles et les femelles et entre les adultes et les subadultes. Ces résultats indiquent que l'information concernant le sexe et l'âge peut être codée de manière analogique. L'information concernant l'âge, mais non le sexe, peut aussi être codée de façon digitale d'après la présence oabsence de certains des 56 composés, en plus de la codification analogique.[Traduit par la Rédaction] Yuan et al. 1604

Reverse chemical ecology: Olfactory proteins from the giant panda and their interactions with putative pheromones and bamboo volatiles

“…Analyses of perianal secretions, used by pandas to deposit scent marks, showed the presence of several fatty acids as well as some aldehydes (27,29,30). We can hypothesize on the basis of the best ligands found for our OBPs as well as on the information available for pheromone components in other mammals that both long-chain aldehydes and their corresponding carboxylic acids might represent suitable candidates.…”

“…Scent marks carried by urine and perianal secretions are utilized by both sexes to advertise their presence and status (26). In female urine, short-chain fatty acids seem to be predominant (27,28), while male perianal glands contain medium and long linear aldehydes as well as a number of long-chain fatty acids together with a variety of other chemicals (29,30). At present, it is not clear which volatiles might be the best putative semiochemicals.…”

Do anogenital gland secretions of giant panda code for their sexual ability?

“…The initial temperature was 100℃, and then it was programmed to rise to 280℃ at the rate of 10℃ /min. There are about 150 compounds in the anogenital gland secretions [13,14] , and no literature is available on the identification of all compounds by authentic identification. Therefore, we assumed that the detector response values for all components are the same, although different compounds' response values may not be directly related to their concentrations.…”

“…In many taxonomic groups, odors provide cues to species identity, reproductive status, genetic relatedness and individual identity including social status [4,5] . To unveil the underlying mechanisms of individual recognition, a substantial amount of research has been done on the chemical composition of the secretions of sebaceous glands, especially in carnivores [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] and rodents [16][17][18][19][20] , yet the results vary with different species. For example, Conover and Gittleman [11] show that juvenile and adults scent marks contain different information in red pandas (Ailurus fulgens).…”

“…Raymer et al [12] found a different ratio of the major components in wolf urine in the two sexes, but they did not find sex-specific constituents, whereas male-specific compounds were found in the urine of the lion, Panthera leo [8] . In the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), Hagey et al [14] and Yuan et al [13] found that anogential gland secretions (AGS) can code for age, sex and distinctive chemical signatures for the individual. However, no literature is available on the association of an animal's sexual ability and the composition of AGS.…”