Die Bürzeldrüsenlipide des Haussperlings Passer domesticus

Abstract

The uripygial (preen) gland fat of the common sparrow (passer domesticus) is a mixture of ester waxes of which 3-methyl-substituted fatty acids with a chain length of C11-C17 were shown to be the acidic components; they were characterized by IR-, NMR- and mass spectrometry. The alcoholic components are n-alkanols with a chain length of C12-C19. Separately investigated female and male sparrows showed identically composed waxes. The simultaneously investigated depot fat is a mixture of triglycerides with usual composition.