Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The black wildebeest, Connochaetes gnou, is a terriorial animal and although it is not generally accepted, it is believed that it defines its territory by scent marking, using interdigital and preorbital secretions, faeces, and urine. The aim of this study was to characterize the chemical constituents of the interdigital secretion. Due to the complexity of the secretion, only one hundred and ten of the approximately 350 compounds could be determined with known techniques. Gas chromatography, low resolution GC-MS and retention-time comparison were the main analytical techniques used. Classes of compounds identified in the interdigital secretion include the following: • Hydrocarbons - Aliphatic (saturated and unsaturated) and aromatic • Alcohols - Aliphatic (saturated, unsaturated, cyclic and diols) • Phenols and Phenylalkanols • Aldehydes - Aliphatic (saturated and unsaturated) and aromatic • Ketones - Aliphatic (saturated, unsaturated, cyclic and diketones) and aromatic • Hydroxy ketones - Aliphatic and cyclic • Carboxylic acids - Aliphatic (saturated, unsaturated and cyclic) and aromatic • An anhydride • Esters - Methyl esters, ethyl and higher esters, unsaturated esters and aromatic esters • Lactams • A steroid Only small qualitative and quantitative differences were found between the male and female interdigital secretions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die swartwildebees, Connochaetes gnou, is 'n territoriale dier en alhoewel dit nie algemeen aanvaar word nie, word vermoed dat hierdie bokke hul gebied afbaken met behulp van interdigitale en preorbitale afskeidings, en deur faeces en urine. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die chemiese samestelling van die interdigitale afskeiding te karakteriseer. As gevolg van die kompleksiteit van die afskeiding, kon slegs eenhonderd-en-tien van die ongeveer 350 verbindings met bekende bestaande tegnieke geïdentifiseer word. Gaschromatografie, lae resolusie GC-MS en retensietyd-vergelyking was die belangrikste analitiese tegnieke wat gebruik is. Klasse van verbindings wat bepaal is, sluit die volgende in: • Koolwaterstowwe - Alifaties (versadig en onversadig) en aromaties • Alkohole - Alifaties (versadig, onversadig, siklies en diole) • Fenole en Fenielalkanole • Aldehiede - Alifaties (versadig en onversadig) en aromaties • Ketone - Alifaties (versadig, onversadig, siklies en diketone) en aromaties • Hidroksiketone - Alifaties en siklies • Karboksielsure - Alifaties (versadig, onversadig en siklies) en aromaties • 'n Anhidried • Esters - Metiel esters, etiel en hoër esters, onversadigde esters en aromatiese esters • Laktame • 'n Steroïed Slegs klein kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe verskille is gevind tussen die bul en koei interdigitale afskeidings.