Seasonal variation of lipids in femoral gland secretions of male green iguanas (Iguana iguana).

Femoral gland secretions were collected from 21 captive adult male green iguanas (Iguana iguana) in Orotina, Costa Rica, and San Diego, California, during the breeding (November) and nonbreeding (March) seasons. Lipids were extracted with methylene chloride, weighed, separated by thin-layer chromatography, and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Free and esterified C14-C26 fatty acids, 5β-cholestan-3α-ol (epico-prostanol), cholest-5-en-3β-ol (cholesterol), cholest-5-en-24-methyl-3β-ol (campesterol), cholesta-5,22-dien-24b-ethyl-3β-ol (stigmasterol), cholesta-8,24(5α)-dien-4,4,14α-trimethyl-3β-ol (lanosterol), cholest-5-en-24-ethyl-3β-ol (β-sitosterol), and two uncharacterized sterols were indicated. More lipids were recovered from femoral gland secretions obtained during the breeding than the nonbreeding months, indicating that secretion deposits may be more detectable during the mating season.