Violet gland

In certain animals, including European badgers, foxes, and wolves, the violet gland or supracaudal gland is an important gland located in the tail. It is used for scent marking and contributes to the strong odor of foxes. Although it secretes a mixture of volatile terpenes similar to those produced by violets (hence the name), the chemicals are produced in much greater quantity than in flowers and the resulting strong smell can be quite unpleasant. Like many other mammalian secretion glands, the violet gland consists of modified sweat glands and sebaceous glands.

In the European badger, the secretions of the violet gland contain a high concentration of lipids, with a composition that varies seasonally. Researchers at the University of Oxford have identified 110 compounds produced by the violet gland using gas chromatography. It was found that specific compositions were shared among groups of badgers, while the secretions of individual badgers varied according to age, gender, health, and reproductive status.

In foxes, the violet gland is found on the upper surface of the tail, at roughly one-third of the tail's length from the body, and measures about 25 by 7.5 millimeters in red foxes. Due to its role in steroid hormone metabolism (and possibly production), foxes cannot be "de-scented" by removing this gland. For unknown reasons, the gland's secretions are fluorescent in ultraviolet light; this may result from the presence of carotenoids.

Such a proven observation of natural history may relate to the "sweet-smelling" capacity of the mythological creature called a panther.