Evaluating the functional, sexual and seasonal variation in the chemical constituents from feces of adult Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus)

Abstract Chemical signals deposited in feces play an important role in intraspecific and interspecific communication of many mammals. We collected fresh feces of adult wolves from wild breeding groups. All samples visually identified as belonging to wolves were subsequently identified to species lev...

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Published in:Scientific Reports
Main Authors: Isabel Barja, Ana Piñeiro, Aritz Ruiz-González, Amaia Caro, Pilar López, José Martín
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023
Subjects:
R
Q
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33883-9
https://doaj.org/article/46ab79061e0842dda828bd7e4f515469
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spelling ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:46ab79061e0842dda828bd7e4f515469 2023-06-11T04:10:51+02:00 Evaluating the functional, sexual and seasonal variation in the chemical constituents from feces of adult Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus) Isabel Barja Ana Piñeiro Aritz Ruiz-González Amaia Caro Pilar López José Martín 2023-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33883-9 https://doaj.org/article/46ab79061e0842dda828bd7e4f515469 EN eng Nature Portfolio https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33883-9 https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322 doi:10.1038/s41598-023-33883-9 2045-2322 https://doaj.org/article/46ab79061e0842dda828bd7e4f515469 Scientific Reports, Vol 13, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2023) Medicine R Science Q article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33883-9 2023-05-07T00:36:01Z Abstract Chemical signals deposited in feces play an important role in intraspecific and interspecific communication of many mammals. We collected fresh feces of adult wolves from wild breeding groups. All samples visually identified as belonging to wolves were subsequently identified to species level by sequencing a small fragment of mtDNA and sexed typing DBX6 and DBY7 sex markers. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), we identified 56 lipophilic compounds in the feces, mainly heterocyclic aromatic organic compounds, such as indole or phenol, but also steroids, such as cholesterol, carboxylic acids and their esters between n-C4 and n-C18, aldehydes, alcohols and significant quantities of squalene and α-tocopherol, which would increase the chemical stability of feces on humid substrates. There was variability in the number and proportions of compounds between sexes, which could be indicative of their function as chemical signals. We also found variability in different reproductive states, especially in odorous compounds, steroids and α-tocopherol. Feces with a presumed marking function had higher proportions of α-tocopherol and steroids than feces with non-marking function. These compounds could be involved in intragroup and intergroup communication of wolves and their levels in feces could be directly related with the wolf’s sex and physiological and reproductive status. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Scientific Reports 13 1
institution Open Polar
collection Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles
op_collection_id ftdoajarticles
language English
topic Medicine
R
Science
Q
spellingShingle Medicine
R
Science
Q
Isabel Barja
Ana Piñeiro
Aritz Ruiz-González
Amaia Caro
Pilar López
José Martín
Evaluating the functional, sexual and seasonal variation in the chemical constituents from feces of adult Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus)
topic_facet Medicine
R
Science
Q
description Abstract Chemical signals deposited in feces play an important role in intraspecific and interspecific communication of many mammals. We collected fresh feces of adult wolves from wild breeding groups. All samples visually identified as belonging to wolves were subsequently identified to species level by sequencing a small fragment of mtDNA and sexed typing DBX6 and DBY7 sex markers. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), we identified 56 lipophilic compounds in the feces, mainly heterocyclic aromatic organic compounds, such as indole or phenol, but also steroids, such as cholesterol, carboxylic acids and their esters between n-C4 and n-C18, aldehydes, alcohols and significant quantities of squalene and α-tocopherol, which would increase the chemical stability of feces on humid substrates. There was variability in the number and proportions of compounds between sexes, which could be indicative of their function as chemical signals. We also found variability in different reproductive states, especially in odorous compounds, steroids and α-tocopherol. Feces with a presumed marking function had higher proportions of α-tocopherol and steroids than feces with non-marking function. These compounds could be involved in intragroup and intergroup communication of wolves and their levels in feces could be directly related with the wolf’s sex and physiological and reproductive status.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Isabel Barja
Ana Piñeiro
Aritz Ruiz-González
Amaia Caro
Pilar López
José Martín
author_facet Isabel Barja
Ana Piñeiro
Aritz Ruiz-González
Amaia Caro
Pilar López
José Martín
author_sort Isabel Barja
title Evaluating the functional, sexual and seasonal variation in the chemical constituents from feces of adult Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus)
title_short Evaluating the functional, sexual and seasonal variation in the chemical constituents from feces of adult Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus)
title_full Evaluating the functional, sexual and seasonal variation in the chemical constituents from feces of adult Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus)
title_fullStr Evaluating the functional, sexual and seasonal variation in the chemical constituents from feces of adult Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus)
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the functional, sexual and seasonal variation in the chemical constituents from feces of adult Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus)
title_sort evaluating the functional, sexual and seasonal variation in the chemical constituents from feces of adult iberian wolves (canis lupus signatus)
publisher Nature Portfolio
publishDate 2023
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33883-9
https://doaj.org/article/46ab79061e0842dda828bd7e4f515469
genre Canis lupus
genre_facet Canis lupus
op_source Scientific Reports, Vol 13, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2023)
op_relation https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33883-9
https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322
doi:10.1038/s41598-023-33883-9
2045-2322
https://doaj.org/article/46ab79061e0842dda828bd7e4f515469
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33883-9
container_title Scientific Reports
container_volume 13
container_issue 1
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