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Updated: Jan 30, 2026
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Sampling and Analysis of Animal Scent Signals
Published on: February 13, 2021
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Sex differences in scent-marking in captive red-ruffed lemurs.
Ellesse D Janda1,2, Kate L Perry2, Emma Hankinson3
1Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Headington Campus, Oxford, United Kingdom.
American Journal of Primatology
|January 22, 2019
Summary
Red-ruffed lemurs use scent-marking to communicate sex and age. Males use neck and mandible glands for territorial defense, while females use ano-genital glands for socio-sexual communication, revealing insights into primate chemical communication.
Area of Science:
- Primate ethology
- Chemical ecology
- Mammalian communication
Background:
- Primate chemical communication is often overlooked, despite evidence of olfaction's importance.
- Scent-marking is common in strepsirrhines and callitrichines, but poorly understood in red-ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata rubra).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate scent-marking behavior and chemical profiles in red-ruffed lemurs.
- To understand the role of scent-marking in their social and territorial communication.
Main Methods:
- Behavioral observations of scent-marking in two captive troops (N=7) over 132 hours.
- Analysis of volatile compounds in ano-genital scent-marks using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
- Comparison of chemical profiles with signaller characteristics.
Main Results:
- Males scent-marked more frequently, primarily in specific territorial areas, using neck and mandible glands.
- Female scent-marking frequency correlated with age, utilizing ano-genital glands.
- 32 volatile compounds were identified in female ano-genital secretions, including potential sex pheromones and fitness cues.
Conclusions:
- Red-ruffed lemurs likely use scent-marking to signal sex and female age.
- Male scent-marking appears to serve territorial defense functions.
- Female ano-genital marking is likely involved in socio-sexual communication.
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