Analysis of the chemical components in the urine of the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)

doi:10.16829/j.slxb.150863

Abstract

Abstract: Chemical communication is extremely important for many life activities of mammals, and urine is one of the pivotal signal sources in this process. Although pangolins use scent as their primary social medium, the study in the field of chemical communication for those animals is still unavailable. As a paradigmatic nocturnal mammal, urine could play a key role in the chemical communication for the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). In this study, we analyzed the volatile components in the urine of Chinese pangolins (♀, n = 3; ♂, n = 3) based on Headspace-Soild Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). We found that 44 chemical compounds were detected from urine, including 17 ketones, nine aldehydes, five alkanes, four aromatic hydrocarbons, three esters, two olefins, two alcohols, one thioether, and one peroxide. 32 and 38 chemical compounds of urine were found in females and males, respectively. There was sex dimorphism in the composition and relative content of volatile components of urine according to the results of PCA analysis. In males, di-tert-butyl peroxide and octane were unique, and acetone, 2-pentanone, butyl acetate, and ethyl acetate had higher relative contents than those in females. Females had no specific components, but they had higher relative contents of hexane and methylcyclopentane than males. 11 volatile components, including 3-penten-2-one, 3-methylcyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, 2-octanone, pentanal, decanal, 3,3-dimethylhexane, ethylbenzene, 4- methyl-1-hexene, 5-ethyl-1, 3-cyclohexadiene, and 6-methyl-hept-2-en-4-ol, were unique at individual level. Here, we characterized the volatile chemical components of urine in the Chinese pangolins, and demonstrated the differences of urine odor at gender and individual levels, and exhibited potential chemical communication functions of urine.

Key words: Manis pentadactyla, Urine, Volatile compound, Chemical communication, Headspace-Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME)

关键词: 中华穿山甲, 尿液, 挥发性化合物, 化学通讯, 顶空固相微萃取

CLC Number:

Q491

WU Wenbin, LI Jun, WANG Kai, AN Fuyu, XU Xuelin, LIAO Shujia, TONG Fuchun, HUA Yan. Analysis of the chemical components in the urine of the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)[J]. ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA, 2024, 44(3): 385-393.

吴文斌, 李珺, 王凯, 安富宇, 许学林, 廖书佳, 佟富春, 华彦. 中华穿山甲尿液化学成分分析[J]. 兽类学报, 2024, 44(3): 385-393.

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