title: Lizard epidermal gland secretions. II. Chemical characterization of the generation gland secretion of the sungazer, Cordylus giganteus.
abstract: In lizards, the epidermal glands of the femoral and precloacal regions are involved in the production of semiochemicals. In addition to its femoral glands, the giant girdled lizard, or sungazer, Cordylus giganteus, which is endemic to South Africa, has generation glands as an additional potential source of semiochemicals. These epidermal glands are described as glandular scales that overlay the femoral glands and are included in the normal epidermal profile located in the femoral (thigh) and anterior antebrachial (fore-leg) regions of the male sungazer. GC-MS analysis of the generation gland secretions and the trimethylsilyl derivatives of some of the steroidal constituents was employed to identify 59 constituents, including alkenes, carboxylic acids, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, amides, nitriles, and steroids. The quantitative differences of the volatile constituents of the fore- and hind-leg generation glands were compared between individuals. This is the first report on the chemical composition of generation glandular material of lizards.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ecological Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, and Ecophysiology Laboratory, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa. stefanlouw@gmail.com
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Louw
authors.forename: Ben V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.forename: Maritha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Le Roux
authors.forename: Johannes H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Van Wyk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008116:Lizards / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism*; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds