The fixative lipid of tiger pheromone

Tigers communicate with one another with the help of Marking Fluid (MF) which is a lipid-rich fluid sprayed upwards and backwards through the urinary channel of both the sexes. The volatile molecules of the MF are made to last longer with the help of lipid ‘fixatives’ the total amount of which is 1–2 mg/ml. This lipid comprises cholesterol ester, wax ester, triglyceride, free fatty acids, diglyceride, monoglyceride, free sterol and phospholipid as revealed by thin layer chromatography. The gas liquid chromatogram of fatty acid methyl esters of the total lipid of the MF, when compared with the fatty acids of groin and body fat of tiger (analysed by other workers), reveals differences in higher proportions of palmitoleic and myristic acids and of highly unsaturated fatty acids. The palmitoleic acid content of total lipid and triglyceride is high in comparison to the wax esters and cholesterol esters of the MF-fat. The unique feature of the alcohol part of the wax esters is a series of saturated straight chain primary alcohols of C₄ to C₂₀ and these are accompanied by the corresponding monoenoic unsaturates.