Wax esters secreted by the uropygial glands of some Australian waterfowl, including the magpie goose

Abstract

1. 1. Wax esters of Australian Anserinae and Anatinae contained the following series of multiple-branched fatty acids: dimethyl-hexanoic (A) and -heptanoic (B); trimethyl-octanoic (C) and -nonanoic (D); tetramethyl-decanoic (E) and -undecanoic (F); pentamethyl-dodecanoic (G) and -tridecanoic (H). The methyl groups have been assigned tentatively to positions 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. In each species the major alcohol was octadecanol. 2. 2. In the Anserinae, the black swan produces A, B and C, the Cape Barren goose C and D, and the freckled duck B to F. 3. 3. The mountain duck, like two other Tadornini, produces mainly C and D. The wood duck and green pygmy goose (Cairinini) produce A and B, although the latter species also has 30 per cent n- acids , mainly C 10. The musk duck has mainly E and F, with smaller amounts of G and H. 4. 4. The magpie goose lipids consisted of squalene (87 per cent) and wax esters (23 per cent) composed mainly of n- C 10 fatty acid and n- C 10 , C 11 and C 12 alcohols.