The chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa
Despite evidence from anatomy, behavior and genomics indicating that the sense of smell in turtles is important, our understanding of chemical communication in this group is still rudimentary. Our aim was to describe the microanatomy of mental glands (MGs) in a freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa (G...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PeerJ Inc.
2020-05-01
|
| Series: | PeerJ |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/9047.pdf |
| _version_ | 1827608099830104064 |
|---|---|
| author | Alejandro Ibáñez Albert Martínez-Silvestre Dagmara Podkowa Aneta Woźniakiewicz Michał Woźniakiewicz Maciej Pabijan |
| author_facet | Alejandro Ibáñez Albert Martínez-Silvestre Dagmara Podkowa Aneta Woźniakiewicz Michał Woźniakiewicz Maciej Pabijan |
| author_sort | Alejandro Ibáñez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite evidence from anatomy, behavior and genomics indicating that the sense of smell in turtles is important, our understanding of chemical communication in this group is still rudimentary. Our aim was to describe the microanatomy of mental glands (MGs) in a freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa (Geoemydidae), and to assess the chemical composition of their secretions with respect to variation among individuals and between sexes. MGs are paired sac-like organs on the gular region of the neck and are dimorphic in this species with males having fully functional holocrine glands while those of females appear non-secretory and vestigial. In adult males, the glandular epithelium of the inner portion of the gland provides exocytotic products as well as cellular debris into the lumen of the gland. The contents of the lumen can be secreted through the narrow duct portion of the gland ending in an orifice on the surface of the skin. Females have invaginated structures similar in general outline to male glands, but lack a glandular epithelium. Using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, we identified a total of 61 compounds in mental gland secretions, the most numerous being carboxylic acids, carbohydrates, alkanes, steroids and alcohols. The number of compounds per individual varied widely (mean (median) ± SD = 14.54 (13) ± 8.44; min = 3; max = 40), but only cholesterol was found in all samples. We found that the relative abundances of only six chemicals were different between the sexes, although males tended to have larger amounts of particular compounds. Although the lipid fraction of mental gland secretions is rich in chemical compounds, most occur in both sexes suggesting that they are metabolic byproducts with no role in chemical signaling. However, the relative amounts of some compounds tended to be higher in males, with significantly larger amounts of two carboxylic acids and one steroid, suggesting their putative involvement in chemical communication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:06:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49e0d20cd6504ac7880778c174ab977a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:06:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-49e0d20cd6504ac7880778c174ab977a2023-12-03T09:30:38ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592020-05-018e904710.7717/peerj.9047The chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosaAlejandro Ibáñez0Albert Martínez-Silvestre1Dagmara Podkowa2Aneta Woźniakiewicz3Michał Woźniakiewicz4Maciej Pabijan5Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research Jagiellonian University, Krakow, PolandCatalonian Reptile and Amphibian Rescue Centre-CRARC, Masquefa, SpainDepartment of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research Jagiellonian University, Krakow, PolandDepartment of Analytical Chemistry, Laboratory for Forensic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, PolandDepartment of Analytical Chemistry, Laboratory for Forensic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, PolandDepartment of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research Jagiellonian University, Krakow, PolandDespite evidence from anatomy, behavior and genomics indicating that the sense of smell in turtles is important, our understanding of chemical communication in this group is still rudimentary. Our aim was to describe the microanatomy of mental glands (MGs) in a freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa (Geoemydidae), and to assess the chemical composition of their secretions with respect to variation among individuals and between sexes. MGs are paired sac-like organs on the gular region of the neck and are dimorphic in this species with males having fully functional holocrine glands while those of females appear non-secretory and vestigial. In adult males, the glandular epithelium of the inner portion of the gland provides exocytotic products as well as cellular debris into the lumen of the gland. The contents of the lumen can be secreted through the narrow duct portion of the gland ending in an orifice on the surface of the skin. Females have invaginated structures similar in general outline to male glands, but lack a glandular epithelium. Using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, we identified a total of 61 compounds in mental gland secretions, the most numerous being carboxylic acids, carbohydrates, alkanes, steroids and alcohols. The number of compounds per individual varied widely (mean (median) ± SD = 14.54 (13) ± 8.44; min = 3; max = 40), but only cholesterol was found in all samples. We found that the relative abundances of only six chemicals were different between the sexes, although males tended to have larger amounts of particular compounds. Although the lipid fraction of mental gland secretions is rich in chemical compounds, most occur in both sexes suggesting that they are metabolic byproducts with no role in chemical signaling. However, the relative amounts of some compounds tended to be higher in males, with significantly larger amounts of two carboxylic acids and one steroid, suggesting their putative involvement in chemical communication.https://peerj.com/articles/9047.pdfGeoemydidaeMental glandsGC-MSLipidsSecretionsSemiochemicals |
| spellingShingle | Alejandro Ibáñez Albert Martínez-Silvestre Dagmara Podkowa Aneta Woźniakiewicz Michał Woźniakiewicz Maciej Pabijan The chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa PeerJ Geoemydidae Mental glands GC-MS Lipids Secretions Semiochemicals |
| title | The chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa |
| title_full | The chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa |
| title_fullStr | The chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa |
| title_short | The chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa |
| title_sort | chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle mauremys leprosa |
| topic | Geoemydidae Mental glands GC-MS Lipids Secretions Semiochemicals |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/9047.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alejandroibanez thechemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT albertmartinezsilvestre thechemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT dagmarapodkowa thechemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT anetawozniakiewicz thechemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT michałwozniakiewicz thechemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT maciejpabijan thechemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT alejandroibanez chemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT albertmartinezsilvestre chemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT dagmarapodkowa chemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT anetawozniakiewicz chemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT michałwozniakiewicz chemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa AT maciejpabijan chemistryandhistologyofsexuallydimorphicmentalglandsinthefreshwaterturtlemauremysleprosa |