The 鈥渢omcat compound鈥?3-mercapto-3-methylbutanol occurs in the urine of free-ranging leopards but not in African lions or cheetahs

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• 作者：Peter Apps^a ; ^{peterjapps@gmail.com" class="auth_mail} ; Lesego Mmualefe^a ; ¹ ; Neil R. Jordan^b ; ^c ; Krystyna A. Golabek^b ; ^c ; J. Weldon McNutt^b
• 关键词：Panthera pardus ; Panthera leo ; Acinonyx jubatus ; Felis silvestris ; Cauxin ; Felinine
• 刊名：Biochemical Systematics and Ecology
• 出版年：April, 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：53
• 期：Complete
• 页码：17-19
• 全文大小：170 K

文摘

The felid-specific urinary odour compound 3-mercapto-3-methylbutanol and its precursors have been found in several felid species in captivity, but its presence in wild felids has not previously been investigated. We analysed the naturally deposited scent marks from three species of wild, free-ranging big cats in Northern Botswana and found 3-mercapto-3-methylbutanol in four samples of leopard urine (N聽=聽13), but not in lion urine (N聽=聽15) or cheetah urine (N聽=聽6). Individual variation in the presence of the tomcat compound in samples from big cats in the wild may reconcile conflicting results from captive cats.