Studies on the red sweat of the Hippopotamus amphibius
نویسندگان
چکیده
The secretion from the hippopotamus’ skin changes its color from colorless to red, and then brown by polymerization of its pigments. The responsible pigments for the coloring reaction were isolated and denoted as hipposudoric acid (the red pigment) and norhipposudoric acid (the orange pigment). The syntheses of these pigments and the related derivatives were performed, and the latter were of use to elucidate the structures of these pigments including their tautomeric structures in aprotic and protic solvents. These pigments were estimated to be medicines for the hippopotamus, having the effect of both protecting the skin from sunburn and preventing infection by some microbes.
منابع مشابه
Hippopotamus (H. amphibius) diet change indicates herbaceous plant encroachment following megaherbivore population collapse
Megaherbivores (>1000 kg) are critical for ecosystem health and function, but face population collapse and extinction globally. The future of these megaherbivore-impoverished ecosystems is difficult to predict, though many studies have demonstrated increasing representation of C3 woody plants. These studies rely on direct observational data, however, and tools for assessing decadal-scale change...
متن کاملNon-specific esterase isoenzymes of adult schistosomes from the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius).
Extracts of adult schistosomes collected from Hippopotamus amphibius in the Kruger National Park gave alpha naphthyl acetate isoenzyme patterns after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis that did not correspond with those of either Schistosoma mansoni or S. rodhaini.
متن کاملSchistosoma Weinland, 1858 from Hippopotamus amphibius Linnaeus, 1758 in the Kruger National Park.
Adults of Schistosoma edwardiense Thurston, 1964, were recovered from Hippopotamus amphibius in the Kruger National Park. Small round to oval Schistosoma margrebowiei-like eggs, presumed to be those of S. edwardiense, were found fairly frequently in the faeces of infected hippopotami together with a few Schistosoma haematobium-like eggs the identity of which remains uncertain. Biomphalaria sp.,...
متن کاملPopulation responses to natural and human-mediated disturbances: assessing the vulnerability of the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)
Vulnerable wildlife populations can face a suite of anthropogenic activities that may threaten their persistence. However, human-mediated disturbances are likely to be coincident with natural disturbances that also influence a population. This synergism is often neglected in population projection models. Here I evaluate the effects of natural (rainfall fluctuation) and human disturbances (habit...
متن کاملThe tegument of Schistosoma hippopotami from Hippopotamus amphibius in the Kruger National Park.
Schistosoma hippopotami were collected from the right heart chambers and pulmonary arteries of Hippopotamus amphibius culled in the Kruger National Park. The schistosomes were subjected to scanning electron microscopy as well as optical microscopy. The results indicate that S. hippopotami is not conspecific to S. mansoni as suggested in the literature. On account of the morphology of certain te...
متن کامل