Abstract
Preliminary investigations have been conducted to identify the chemical composition of carpal gland secretions from feral pigs in the lowland tropical rainforest of NE Australia. Carpal glands are located along the inner part of the front legs and their secretion may be distributed to the surrounding vegetation and bedding sites. Secretions were collected from the external surface of the glands by swabbing with filter paper discs. Compounds were then extracted in distilled ether and analysed by capillary gas chromatography. Secretions from boars and reproductive females contained more compounds than those from non-reproductive females. Only seventeen compounds were found in the secretions collected from boars and reproductive females, while one compound was only present in secretions from reproductive females. In boars compounds were at higher concentrations than in reproductive females. Lowest concentrations were found in non-reproductive females. Boars and reproductive females have more compounds with a higher molecular weight than non-reproductive females. The similarity in the chemical composition of carpal gland secretions from boars and reproductive females may be responsible for the same response that these animals trigger in conspecifics, i.e. avoidance behaviour. Further investigations will focus on the potential these secretions may have as repellents in feral pig control.
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Heise-Pavlov, S.R., Logan, J.G., Pickett, J.A. (2008). Pig Semiochemicals and Their Potential for Feral Pig Control in NE Australia. In: Hurst, J.L., Beynon, R.J., Roberts, S.C., Wyatt, T.D. (eds) Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73945-8_38
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