Abstract
The olfactory communication signals in eleven individuals of sambar deer were studied. They marked the objects in the enclosure with the secretions of diverse specialized integumentary glands. The tendency to sniff the marked sites was more consistent among females than in males. Both sexes of this species of deer depend considerably on olfactory cues during various social interactions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chard J S R 1974 The roe deer;Forest Rec. 99 1–31
Ewer R F 1968Ethology of mammals’, (New York: Plenum Press)
Iyer K S 1979Studies on certain aspects of ethology of spotted deer, Axis axis with special emphasis on the role of olfaction in social interaction, M.Phil dissertation, University of Kerala
Karlson P and Luscher N 1959 Pheromones-a new term for a class of biologically active substance;Nature (London)183 55–56
Langguth A and Jackson J 1980 Cutaneous scent glands in Pampas deer,Blastoceros bezoarcticus;J. Fauna Preservation Soc. 15 82–90
Müller-Schwarze D 1967 Social odours in young mule deer;Am. Zool 7 450, 807
Müller-Schwarze D 1971 Pheromones in Black-tailed deer;Anim. Behav. 19 141–152
Müller-Schwarze D 1974 Olfactory recognition of species, groups, individuals and physiological states among mammals; InPheromones (ed) M C Birch (Amsterdam: North Holland) pp. 316–326
Müller-Schwarze D, Kallquist L, Mossing T, Brundin A and Anderson G 1978 Response of reindeer to interdigital secretions of conspecifics;J. Chem. Ecol. 4 325–335
Mykytowycz R 1970 The role of skin glands in mammalian communication; InAdvances in Chemoreception, Vol 1Communication by Chemical Signals (eds) J W Johnston, D G Moulton and A Turk (New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts) pp. 327–360
Prior R 1968The roe deer ofCranborne chase, (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
Quay W B 1955 Histology and cytochemistry of skin gland areas in the caribou,Rangifer;J. Mammal. 36 187–201
Quay W B and Muller-Schwarze D 1970 Functional histology of integumentary glandular regions in black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus);J. Mammal 51 675–694
Schaller G B 1967The deer and the tiger; (Chicago: Univeristy Press)
Shumake S A 1977 The search for application of chemical signals in wildlife management; InChemical Signals in Vertebrates (eds) D Muller-Schwarze and M M Mozell) (New York: Plenum Press) pp. 357–375
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mary, E., Balakrishnan, M. A study on olfactory communication signals in sambar deer,Cervus unicolor . Proc Ani Sci 93, 71–76 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03186229
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03186229