HARDERIAN GLAND PHEROMONE IN THE MONGOLIAN GERBIL Meriones unguiculatus

The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) secretes an attractant pheromone from the Harderian gland during a facial groom. The material exits at the external nares and is spread over select areas of the face. Its presence stimulates investigation by conspecifies, as seen by video observations. The half-life of the fluorescence of the material on the face following a groom parallels the half-life of attraction. Shock-avoidance and taste-aversion conditioning indicate that animals can both smell and taste a chloroform extract of Harderian glands. They will also seek out and investigate the extract when presented alone. It is suggested that thermoregulatory grooming, social needs, and chemosignaling are intimately linked.