Cast skin lipids of the indian python (python molurus bivittatus, kühl, 1820)

Abstract

Cast skins o f various snakes and in addition one lizard were found to contain 3.5 -8.6% extractable lipid material. Lipids obtained from a cast skin of the Indian python were analyzed in detail indicating the presence o f hydrocarbons (squalene, cholestadiene and alkanes), monoester waxes, sterol esters, diester waxes, triglycerides, sterols, free fatty acids and even more polar lipids. Am ong the monoester wax constituents odd-numbered secondary alkanols were found. It is assumed that the above lipids originate from cells o f the past integumental generation and that they play an important facilitating role during the sloughing process. © 1993, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.