Stink gland

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A stink gland is generally a gland that emits an unpleasant smelling substance. The secretions very often serve as a means of defense against attackers and, in addition to the malodorous substances, can often also contain defense secretions , such as acids or poisons. In addition, they often serve for intra-species communication.

Stink glands are not restricted to certain animal groups, but they are mainly found in insects ( bed bugs , click beetles ) or mammals . In the latter, they are derived from sweat or scent glands . Various species of martens such as polecats and zorillas and especially the skunks are known for their stink glands .

supporting documents

  1. a b c d " Stink glands " in the lexicon of biology, Spektrum.de; accessed on May 24, 2020.

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