Abstract
Behavior observations in European reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) showed a high frequency of sniffing the tails of conspecifics. A caudal gland was found, and it is the largest skin gland inRangifer. Behavioral contexts of tail sniffing, the histology of the gland, and some aspects of the composition of the volatiles in the gland's secretion are described.
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Müller-Schwarze, D., Quay, W.B. & Brundin, A. The caudal gland in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.): Its behavioral role, histology, and chemistry. J Chem Ecol 3, 591–601 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00989079
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00989079