Perioral secretions enable complex social signaling in African mole-rats (genus Fukomys)
Abstract Subterranean common mole-rats of the genus Fukomys (family Bathyergidae) live in large, cooperatively-breeding families. Odor cues have been hypothesized to play an important role in mediating social behaviors in the underground ecotope, but only little is known about the role of olfactory...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26351-3 |
| _version_ | 1797973692500672512 |
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| author | Kai R. Caspar Pavel Stopka Daniel Issel Kristin H. Katschak Till Zöllner Sina Zupanc Petr Žáček Sabine Begall |
| author_facet | Kai R. Caspar Pavel Stopka Daniel Issel Kristin H. Katschak Till Zöllner Sina Zupanc Petr Žáček Sabine Begall |
| author_sort | Kai R. Caspar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Subterranean common mole-rats of the genus Fukomys (family Bathyergidae) live in large, cooperatively-breeding families. Odor cues have been hypothesized to play an important role in mediating social behaviors in the underground ecotope, but only little is known about the role of olfactory signaling in burrowing mammals. Here we characterize the so far neglected perioral glands of Fukomys and other African mole-rats as an important source of olfactory social information. Histology demonstrates these structures to be derived sebaceous glands that are developed regardless of sex and reproductive status. However, gland activity is higher in Fukomys males, leading to sexually dimorphic patterns of stain and clotting of the facial pelage. Behavioral assays revealed that conspecifics prefer male but not female perioral swabs over scent samples from the back fur and that male sebum causes similar attraction as anogenital scent, a known source of social information in Fukomys. Finally, we assessed volatile compounds in the perioral sebum of the giant mole-rat (Fukomys mechowii) via GCxGC-MS-based metabolomic profiling. Volatiles display pronounced sex-specific signatures but also allow to differentiate between intrasexual reproductive status groups. These different lines of evidence suggest that mole-rat perioral glands provide complex odor signals which play a crucial role in social communication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:07:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-48b0f8d7e42c4447a23bf7f6fc46a2a0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:07:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-48b0f8d7e42c4447a23bf7f6fc46a2a02023-01-01T12:16:42ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-12-0112111610.1038/s41598-022-26351-3Perioral secretions enable complex social signaling in African mole-rats (genus Fukomys)Kai R. Caspar0Pavel Stopka1Daniel Issel2Kristin H. Katschak3Till Zöllner4Sina Zupanc5Petr Žáček6Sabine Begall7Department of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-EssenDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEVDepartment of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-EssenDepartment of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-EssenDepartment of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-EssenDepartment of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-EssenDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEVDepartment of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-EssenAbstract Subterranean common mole-rats of the genus Fukomys (family Bathyergidae) live in large, cooperatively-breeding families. Odor cues have been hypothesized to play an important role in mediating social behaviors in the underground ecotope, but only little is known about the role of olfactory signaling in burrowing mammals. Here we characterize the so far neglected perioral glands of Fukomys and other African mole-rats as an important source of olfactory social information. Histology demonstrates these structures to be derived sebaceous glands that are developed regardless of sex and reproductive status. However, gland activity is higher in Fukomys males, leading to sexually dimorphic patterns of stain and clotting of the facial pelage. Behavioral assays revealed that conspecifics prefer male but not female perioral swabs over scent samples from the back fur and that male sebum causes similar attraction as anogenital scent, a known source of social information in Fukomys. Finally, we assessed volatile compounds in the perioral sebum of the giant mole-rat (Fukomys mechowii) via GCxGC-MS-based metabolomic profiling. Volatiles display pronounced sex-specific signatures but also allow to differentiate between intrasexual reproductive status groups. These different lines of evidence suggest that mole-rat perioral glands provide complex odor signals which play a crucial role in social communication.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26351-3 |
| spellingShingle | Kai R. Caspar Pavel Stopka Daniel Issel Kristin H. Katschak Till Zöllner Sina Zupanc Petr Žáček Sabine Begall Perioral secretions enable complex social signaling in African mole-rats (genus Fukomys) Scientific Reports |
| title | Perioral secretions enable complex social signaling in African mole-rats (genus Fukomys) |
| title_full | Perioral secretions enable complex social signaling in African mole-rats (genus Fukomys) |
| title_fullStr | Perioral secretions enable complex social signaling in African mole-rats (genus Fukomys) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perioral secretions enable complex social signaling in African mole-rats (genus Fukomys) |
| title_short | Perioral secretions enable complex social signaling in African mole-rats (genus Fukomys) |
| title_sort | perioral secretions enable complex social signaling in african mole rats genus fukomys |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26351-3 |
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