| Title: | "To fix or not to fix: the role of 2-phenoxyethanol in rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, chin gland secretion" |
| Author(s): | Hayes RA; Richardson BJ; Wyllie SG; |
| Address: | "Centre for Biostructural and Biomolecular Research, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, New South Wales, Australia. a.hayes@qut.edu.au" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0098-0331 (Print) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) uses the secretion of the chin gland to maintain dominance hierarchies in the wild. Recent work has investigated changes in the secretion when social status is manipulated in the rabbit. When a rabbit becomes dominant, a new compound appears in his secretion, 2-phenoxyethanol. This compound is used as a fixative in the perfume industry. This study investigates whether the compound performs a similar function in the secretion of the rabbit. 2-Phenoxyethanol is not detected olfactorially by rabbits, and slows the release rate of some of the compounds that occur naturally in rabbit chin gland secretion. We suggest that when a rabbit becomes dominant, he adds a fixative to his secretion so that his scent will persist in the environment and not dissipate. He will thus come to dominate the olfactory environment, in much the same way as he does the physical environment" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Anti-Infective Agents, Local/*pharmacology Ethylene Glycols/*pharmacology Exocrine Glands Fixatives/pharmacology Male Pheromones/chemistry/*pharmacology Smell Social Behavior *Social Dominance;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineHayes, R A Richardson, B J Wyllie, S G eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2003/07/15 J Chem Ecol. 2003 May; 29(5):1051-64. doi: 10.1023/a:1023836319677" |
