Publication Date:
2011-06-12
Description:
The importance of olfaction in birds’ social behavior has long been denied. Avian chemical signaling has thus been relatively unexplored. The black-legged kittiwake provides a particularly appropriate model for investigating this topic. Kittiwakes preferentially mate with genetically dissimilar individuals, but the cues used to assess genetic characteristics remain unknown. As in other vertebrates, their body odors may carry individual and sexual signatures thus potentially reliably signaling individual genetic makeup. Here, we test whether body odors in preen gland secretion and preen down feathers in kittiwakes may provide a sex and an individual signature. Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, we found that male and female odors differ quantitatively, suggesting that scent may be one of the multiple cues used by birds to discriminate between sexes. We further detected an individual signature in the volatile and nonvolatile fractions of preen secretion and preen down feathers. These results suggest that kittiwake body odor may function as a signal associated with mate recognition. It further suggests that preen odor might broadcast the genetic makeup of individuals, and could be used in mate choice to assess the genetic compatibility of potential mates. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s00114-011-0809-9 Authors Sarah Leclaire, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, ENFA; UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France Thomas Merkling, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, ENFA; UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France Christine Raynaud, INRA, LCA (Laboratoire de Chimie Agro-industrielle), F-31029 Toulouse, France Géraldine Giacinti, INRA, LCA (Laboratoire de Chimie Agro-industrielle), F-31029 Toulouse, France Jean-Marie Bessière, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier, 8 rue de l’Ecole Normale, 34296 Montpellier, France Scott A. Hatch, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA Étienne Danchin, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, ENFA; UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France Journal Naturwissenschaften Online ISSN 1432-1904 Print ISSN 0028-1042
Print ISSN:
0028-1042
Electronic ISSN:
1432-1904
Topics:
Biology
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Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Natural Sciences in General
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