Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The sungazer, Cordylus giganteus, is an endangered lizard species belonging to the
family Cordylidae. It has been speculated that the function of semiochemical
communication is performed by two types of skin glands, the femoral glands and the
generation glands, which are also found in this family of lizards. Other skin glands
and also the cloacal glands are further possible sources of semiochemicals. The
investigation of these potential sources of chemical messages in C. giganteus, served
as a starting point towards a better understanding of the chemical communication of
lizard species belonging to the family Cordylidae. In continuation of this study the
femoral gland secretion of the Cape girdled lizard, C. cordylus, was also investigated.
Gas chromatography, low resolution GC-MS, GC-HR-MS, MO-TMS derivatisation
and retention time comparison were used as analytical techniques in the chemical
characterization of the femoral and generation gland secretions of C. giganteus and
the femoral gland secretion of C. cordylus. Some compounds were not identified
because of their low concentration in the secretions and/or mass spectra could not be
obtained for pure compounds because of co-elution with other compounds.
Compounds identified in the femoral gland secretion include the following:
Carboxylic acids - saturated and unsaturated
Alcohols
Ketones
Aldehydes - saturated and unsaturated
Esters - saturated and unsaturated
Hydrocarbons - saturated and unsaturated
Nitriles
Amides - saturated and unsaturated
y-Lactones
Squalene
u-Tocopherol
Steroids Quantitative analysis of the femoral and generation gland secretions of a number of
sungazers indicated distinct differences between the secretions of males and females
(in the case of the femoral gland secretions), but no apparent trend could be found in
the differences between the femoral and generation gland secretions of individual
lizards of the same gender. Qualitative seasonal differences were however observed in
the femoral gland secretions of all individuals of C giganteus. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ouvolk, Cordylus giganteus, is 'n bedreigde akkedisspesie van die familie
Cordilidae. Daar is gespekuleer dat twee soorte velkliere wat by hierdie familie
akkedisse voorkom, naamlik die femorale- en generasiekliere, betrokke is by
semiochemiese kommunikasie van hierdie diere. Ander velkliere, asook die kliere in
die akkedisse se kloaka, is ook potensiele bronne van semiochemiese verbindings. Die
bestudering van hierdie potensiele bronne van chemiese boodskappe by C. giganteus
is as 'n beginpunt gebruik om die semiochemiese kommunikasie van die akkedisse
van die familie Cordilidae beter te verstaan. Ter uitbreiding van hierdie studie is die
femorale klierafskeiding van die Kaapse gordelakkedis, C. cordylus, ook ondersoek.
Die femorale en generasieklierafskeidings van C. giganteus en die femorale
klierafskeidings van C. cordylus is chemies gekarakteriseer deur van analitiese
tegnieke, naamlik gaschromatografie, lae resolusie GC-MS, GC-HR-MS, MO- TMS
derivatisering en retensietydvergelyking, gebruik te maak. Talle verbindings is nie
geidentifiseer nie omdat hulle in 'n baie lae konsentrasie in die afskeidings voorkom,
en/of saam met ander komponente elueer, wat veroorsaak dat daar nie massaspektra
vir hierdie suiwer komponente verkry kon word nie.
Verbindingstipes wat in die afskeidings voorkom, sluit die volgende in:
Karboksielsure - versadig en onversadig
Alkohole
Ketone
Aldehiede - versadig en onversadig
Esters - versadig en onversadig
Koolwaterstowwe - versadig en onversadig
Nitriele
Amiede - versadig en onversadig
y-Laktone
Skwaleen
a-Tocopherol
Steroiede Kwantitatiewe analises van die femorale en generasieklierafskeidings van verskeie
ouvolk akkedisse het getoon dat daar duidelike kwantitatiewe verskille tussen die
afskeidings van mannetjies en wyfies is (in die geval van die femorale
klierafskeidings), maar dat daar geen duidelike patroon in die verskille tussen die
femorale en generasieklierafskeidings van individuele akkedisse van dieselfde geslag
is rue. Daar is kwalitatiewe seisoenale verskille tussen die femorale klierafskeidings
van individue van C. giganteus gevind.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49754 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Louw, Stefan |
| Contributors | Burger, B. V., Le Roux, M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Chemistry & Polymer Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 228 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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