Temporin

This article is about elephant temporal gland secretion. For antimicrobial peptides from frogs, see Temporins.
Secretion of temporins visible on an African elephant during musth (2007).

In elephants, temporin is the visible liquid secreted by temporal glands. It contains proteins, lipids (notably cholesterol), phenols, cresols and sesquiterpenes (notably farnesol and its derivatives).[1] Temporin has a communicative function among elephant individuals in a group.[1]: 101 

In male elephants, temporin is secreted more during the period of musth, a period of heightened sexual arousal and dominance behavior. Of note, not all temporal gland excretions in African elephant bulls do necessarily represent the musth phase.[1]: 111  Female elephants also secrete temporin: African females secrete it quite freely, whereas Asian females secrete it in advanced stage of pregnancy or soon after calving.[1]: 154 

In old Sanskrit texts, temporin has been referred to as rut fluid (dāna, or mada) and is considered to be a symbol of potency and vigour.[2] However, from the point of view of ancient Indian elephant science (gajaśāstra), temporin is not a direct symptom of rut.[3]

  1. ^ a b c d Sukumar, R (2003). The living elephants: evolutionary ecology, behavior, and conservation. Oxford University Press. p. 155. ISBN 9780195107784. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  2. ^ Bana, Kadambari. Transl. P. Rajappa, Penguin Books 2010, p. 19
  3. ^ Nilakantha; Franklin Edgerton (1931). The Elephant-lore of the Hindus: The Elephant-sport (Matanga-lila) of Nilakantha. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0005-2., pp. 29-38.