Pheromones

Pheromones are chemical substances produced and released into the environment by an animal, especially a mammal or an insect, affecting the behavior or physiology of others of its species. The term "pheromone" was introduced by Peter Karlson and Martin Lüscher in 1959, based on the Greek words pherein (to transport) and hormone (to stimulate). They are used for communication between members of the same species.

Types of Pheromones

Pheromones are categorized into several types:

• Alarm pheromones are produced by some animals, such as insects, to alert members of their own species to danger.
• Trail pheromones are common in social insects. For example, ants mark their paths with pheromones, which are volatile hydrocarbons.
• Sex pheromones are secreted to signal the availability for breeding. They can signal the species, the sex, the reproductive condition, and the individual identity of the signaler.
• Aggregation pheromones function in defense against predators, mate selection, and overcoming host resistance by mass attack.
• Epideictic pheromones are different from territory pheromones, when it comes to insects. Fabre observed and noted how "females who lay their eggs in these fruits deposit these mysterious substances in the vicinity of their clutch to signal to other females of the same species they should clutch elsewhere."

Effects on Humans

While humans are highly dependent upon visual cues, when in close proximity smells also play a big role in sociosexual behaviors. An inherent difficulty in studying human pheromones is the need for cleanliness and odorlessness in human participants.

See Also

• Chemical ecology
• Mammalian pheromones
• Releaser
• Semiochemical
• Vomeronasal organ

External Links

• The Pherobase: Database of Pheromones and Semiochemicals
• Sense of Smell Institute

Pheromones Resources
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