Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 17 June 1977:
Vol. 196. no. 4296, pp. 1347 - 1349
DOI: 10.1126/science.196.4296.1347
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Stink of Stinkpot Turtle Identified: ohgr-Phenylalkanoic Acids

THOMAS EISNER 1, WILLIAM E. CONNER 1, KAREN HICKS 1, KENNETH R. DODGE 1, HERBERT I. ROSENBERG 2, TAPPEY H. JONES 3, MARCIA COHEN 3, and JERROLD MEINWALD 3

1 Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, Langmuir Laboratory, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
2 Department of Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada T2N 1N4
3 Spencer T. Olin Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Cornell University

The exocrine secretion of the "stinkpot turtle," Sternotherus odoratus, discharged by the animals in response to disturbance, contains four ohgr-phenylalkanoic acids (phenylacetic, 3-phenylpropionic, 5-phenylpentanoic, and 7-phenylheptanoic). The last two of these are new natural products. The first two are powerfully malodorous and responsible for the stench of the fluid. Lesser components, including several aliphatic acids, are also present. Only a few milligrams of secretion are discharged by a turtle at any one time. Although bioassays with fish suggest that the secretion has the potential to serve as a feeding deterrent to predators, it is argued that Sternotherus does not ordinarily discharge enough fluid to effect this action and may employ its secretion only as an aposematic signal that warns predators of its more generalized undesirability.

Submitted on December 16, 1976
Revised on February 2, 1977


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Vomeronasal sensory neurons from Sternotherus odoratus (stinkpot/musk turtle) respond to chemosignals via the phospholipase C system.
J. H. Brann and D. A. Fadool (2006)
J. Exp. Biol. 209, 1914-1927
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Patch-clamp analysis of voltage-activated and chemically activated currents in the vomeronasal organ of Sternotherus odoratus (stinkpot/musk turtle).
D. A. Fadool, M. Wachowiak, and J. H. Brann (2002)
J. Exp. Biol. 204, 4199-4212
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)