VOLATILE COMPOUNDS FROM INTERDIGITAL GLAND OF MALE WHITE-TAILED DEER (ODOCOILEUS-VIRGINIANUS)

Interdigital secretions were collected from eight male white-tailed de er of various ages. Analysis of volatiles was performed by gas chromat ography-mass spectrometry with a modified headspace technique. Forty-s ix volatile compounds were found including alkanes, arenes, aldehydes, ketones, aliphatic acids, esters, pyrroles, furans, and sulfur compou nds. Eleven occurred in higher concentrations (P less than or equal to 0.10) in dominant (greater than or equal to 3.5-year-old) than in sub ordinate (greater than or equal to 1.5-year-old) animals. Dominant mal es typically have higher serum testosterone levels, and fatty acids an d esters fluctuate with sebum production, which is under hormonal cont rol. Therefore, these compounds may reflect testosterone levels and ac t as chemical signals indicating the presence of a dominant male. Inte rdigital volatiles also may act as generalized scent trail markers.