Abstract: Urine from three female and three male leopards between 2 -3 years of age were investigated by using gas chromatography / mass spectrometry to determine the volatile components, as well as differences between male and female urine．The experiment has important significance for increasing revealing mechanisms and protection of individual chemical communication between leopards．Twenty compounds were found in the urine samples, including alkanes, sulphur compounds, alcohol，phenol, acid and ester．The hydrocarbon proportion accounted for more than 50% of the total volatile matter, and the amount of sulfur-containing compounds or proportion in the total volatile matter is lower, only 1.12% -1.89% in the volatile component．The components of urine among different individual leopards were almost the same but the relative contents were slightly different．The 3 -4-enethioic Hydroxyhex-acid, S-t-butyl ester was only found in the urine of female．The content of Sulfurous acid, hexyl pentadecyl ester and Sulfurous acid, 2 - ethylhexyl isohexyl ester in the male samples was higher than in the female samples (P <0. 05)．The content of Ditertdodecyl disulfide and Sulfurous acid, hexyl tetradecyl ester sulfate in the male samples was higher than in the female samples (P <0. 01)．

Key words: Chromatographic, Leopard, Urine, Volatile

关键词: 金钱豹, 尿液, 挥发性, 色谱