Das Bürzeldrüsensekret der Trauerente (Melanitta nigra) / The Uropygial Gland Wax from the Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra)

Abstract

The uropygial gland fat from the common scoter (Melanitta nigra) is a mixture of ester waxes of which 2,4,6-trimethyl-octanoic and 2,4,6-trimethyl-nonanoic acid are shown to be the main compounds within the acidic components. Besides traces of 2,4-dimethyl-heptanoic and 4,6-dimethyloctanoic acid could be detected. The alcoholic components of the waxes are more complex and consist of n-alkanols (77,6%) with chain-length from C14— C18 and of monomethyl-substituted primary alcohols with the same chain-length and branches in 2-, 4-, 8-, 12- and 14-position. Chemotaxonomically the common scoter differs from other birds of this tribe but has some relationship to the barnacle goose and to the red-breasted merganser.