[The role of different types of excretions in mediated chemo-communication of common palm civet, Paradoxurus hermaphroditus Pallas, 1777 (Mammalia, Carnivora)].
We studied scent marking behavior, olfactory response to various excretions (secretion of the perineal gland, urine, and feces), as well as the information content of these excretions in the common palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus Pallas, 1777). Six forms of scent marking behavior have been described. The activity and form's proportion of such behavior differ in males and females. Dragging the perineal gland and leaving the secretion on the substrate was most commonly observed in animals of both sexes. The olfactory response of the palm civet varied by duration and depended both on the sex and excretion type. The palm civet could distinguish animal species, sex, and familiar/unfamiliar individuals by the odor of the perineal gland secretion. Different olfactory response of the palm civet to feces was observed only for that of different species. The scent marks of the perineal gland were most significant in mediated communication by scent marks of the palm civet; they completely replicated the information of the urine marks.
Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr. 33, Moscow, 119071 Russia. rozhnov@sevin.ru
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D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002415:Cats / Q000502:physiology*; D004423:Ear / Q000502:physiology; D005243:Feces; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000502:physiology; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology*; D012543:Scent Glands / Q000502:physiology; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D014554:Urination / Q000502:physiology*
D010675:Pheromones; D012724:Sex Attractants