Hind paws of a Japanese marten (Martes melampus)
The Japanese marten, North American marten, Eurasian pine marten, beech marten, and sable have plantar glands within whorls of hair on their hind paws that emit a distinctive odour. The hairs appear as 4 small dark circular patches on the large segmented centre pad (known as the metacarpal pad). They vary within and between species, with some species’ plantar glands being reported to change in size depending on the season.(1)(2)
It is hypothesised that plantar glands serve as chemical transmitters. Scent deposition from other glands is correlated with discrete behaviours (e.g., abdominal rubbing, urination). However, there have been no behavioural associations identified with the release of chemicals from plantar glands. This could be due to the fact that transmission from the plantar glands can occur passively through regular movement without the need for specific transmission behaviours.(2)
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