| Title: | Mellifluous matures to malodorous in musth |
| Author(s): | Rasmussen LE; Riddle HS; Krishnamurthy V; |
| Address: | "Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, OGI School of Science and Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, Oregon 97006-8921, USA. betsr@bmb.ogi.edu" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0028-0836 (Print) 0028-0836 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Male Asian elephants in musth--an annual period of heightened sexual activity and intensified aggression--broadcast odoriferous, behaviourally influential messages from secretions of the temporal gland. From our observations in the wild, together with instantaneous chemical sampling and captive-elephant playback experiments, we have discovered that young, socially immature males in musth signal their naivety by releasing honey-like odours to avoid conflict with adult males, whereas older musth males broadcast malodorous combinations to deter young males, facilitating the smooth functioning of male society. As elephant--human conflicts can upset this equilibrium, chemically modulating male behaviour may be one way to help the conservation of wild elephants" |
| Keywords: | "Acetophenones/metabolism Aging/physiology Animals Elephants/*physiology Hexanols/metabolism Honey Ketones/metabolism Male Odorants Sex Attractants/*physiology Sex Characteristics Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology Social Dominance;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineRasmussen, L E L Riddle, H S Krishnamurthy, V eng England 2002/03/05 Nature. 2002 Feb 28; 415(6875):975-6. doi: 10.1038/415975a" |
