Dung as a potential medium for inter-sexual chemical signaling in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus)

Behavioural Processes
Ratna GhosalRaman Sukumar

Abstract

Chemical signaling is a prominent mode of male-female communication among elephants, especially during their sexually active periods. Studies on the Asian elephant in zoos have shown the significance of a urinary pheromone (Z7-12:Ac) in conveying the reproductive status of a female toward the opposite sex. We investigated the additional possibility of an inter-sexual chemical signal being conveyed through dung. Sixteen semi-captive adult male elephants were presented with dung samples of three female elephants in different reproductive phases. Each male was tested in 3 separate trials, within an interval of 1-3 days. The trials followed a double-blind pattern as the male and female elephants used in the trials were strangers, and the observer was not aware of the reproductive status of females during the period of bioassays. Males responded preferentially (P<0.005), in terms of higher frequency of sniff, check and place behavior toward the dung of females close to pre-ovulatory period (follicular-phase) as compared to those in post-ovulatory period (luteal-phase). The response toward the follicular phase samples declined over repeated trials though was still significantly higher than the corresponding response toward the non-ov...Continue Reading

References

Dec 1, 1971·Journal of Reproduction and Fertility·M R JainudeenN Tilakeratne
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Feb 3, 2009·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Benjamin M BolkerJada-Simone S White

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Citations

Nov 16, 2013·Chemical Senses·Verena BautzeJörg Strotmann
Aug 12, 2014·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Devaraj SankarGaneshShanmugam Achiraman
Nov 15, 2014·Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology·Iris Dröscher, Peter M Kappeler
Jan 13, 2017·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Courtney MarneweckAdrian M Shrader
Apr 3, 2018·Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology·Brigitte M WeißAnja Widdig
Dec 9, 2020·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Wenliang ZhouFuwen Wei

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