title: Seasonal sebaceous patch in the nectar-feeding bats Leptonycteris curasoae and L. yerbabuenae (Phyllostomidae: Glossophaginae): phenological, histological, and preliminary chemical characterization.
abstract: Many species of bats secrete a wide variety of substances, frequently associated with olfactory communication. We characterized a seasonal phenomenon of dorsal sebaceous secretion in the Curaçaoan long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris curasoae, in Venezuela, and the lesser long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae, in Mexico. The phenology of the sebaceous patch was determined, a histological analysis of the affected area was conducted using specimens of L. curasoae from Venezuela, and finally, a preliminary chemical characterization of the substance secreted was performed combining histochemical techniques with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analyses. The sebaceous patch was detected exclusively in male adult specimens. Individuals presenting it had a variable area of fur covered with a fatty and odoriferous substance at the level of the interscapular zone. Occurrence of the sebaceous patch was cyclical and coincided with the mating season in Venezuela and Mexico. The following histological changes associated with occurrence of the patch were observed: increase of epidermis thickness and decrease of dermis and hypodermis thicknesses, increase in density of sebaceous glands, increase of percentage of skin covered by sebaceous glands, increase of size of sebaceous glands previous to secretion followed, and increase of the sebum volume within sebaceous glands previous to secretion. Several compounds tentatively identified as fatty acids, cholestanes and cholesterol were present in the sebaceous secretion. Based on the evidence obtained, we hypothesize that the sebaceous patch could be involved in olfactory communication, possibly related to mating behavior in these bats.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Aptdo. 21827, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Jafet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nassar
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biofísica y Bioquímica, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Aptdo. 21827, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: M Víctor
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.affiliation: Centro de Química, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Aptdo. 21827, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quintero
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Aptdo. 27-3 (Xangari), Morelia, Michoacán 58089, México.
authors.forename: Kathryn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Stoner
authors.affiliation: Centro de Química, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Aptdo. 21827, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Aptdo. 89000, Caracas 1080A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Aivlé
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabrera
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Estratégicos y Laboratorio de Comportamiento, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Aptdo. 89000, Caracas 1080A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jaffé
mesh_terms: D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000662:veterinary; D012621:Seasons; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D012629:Sebum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013045:Species Specificity