A pheromone (from Ancient Greek φέρω (phérō) 'to bear' and hormone) is a chemical that is secreted or excreted by an organism, which triggers a social response in members of the same species. There are alarm pheromones, food trail pheromones, sex pheromones, and many others that affect behavior or physiology. Pheromones are used by many organisms, from basic unicellular prokaryotes to complex multicellular eukaryotes. Their use among insects has been particularly well documented. In addition, some vertebrates, plants and ciliates communicate by using pheromones. The ecological functions and evolution of pheromones are a major topic of research in the field of chemical ecology.
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In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Pheromones
- Pheromones in the context of Attractant
- Pheromones in the context of Human sex pheromones
- Pheromones in the context of Rhinarium
Pheromones in the context of Attractant
An attractant is any chemical that attracts an organism, e.g. i) synthetic lures; ii) aggregation and sex pheromones (intraspecific interactions); and iii) synomone (interspecific interactions)
View the full Wikipedia page for AttractantPheromones in the context of Human sex pheromones
No study has conclusively isolated or identified human sex pheromones, although various researchers have investigated the possibility of their existence.
Pheromones, in general, are chemical substances secreted by organisms that trigger a social reaction in the same species. Sex pheromones are a special type of olfactory signal produced to attract the opposite sex and promote mating or other behaviors closely related to sexual reproduction. While humans are highly dependent upon visual cues, smells can also play a role in sociosexual behaviors. An inherent difficulty in studying human pheromones is the need for maintaining cleanliness and controlling natural body odors among participants.
View the full Wikipedia page for Human sex pheromonesPheromones in the context of Rhinarium
The rhinarium (Neo-Latin, "belonging to the nose"; pl.: rhinaria) is the furless skin surface surrounding the external openings of the nostrils in many mammals. Commonly it is referred to as the tip of the snout, and breeders of cats and dogs sometimes use the term nose leather. Informally, it may be called a "truffle", "wet snout," or "wet nose” because its surface is moist in some species: for example, healthy dogs and cats.
In many species, the rhinarium has a mid-line groove (cleft) – the philtrum – and a wrinkled (crenellated) surface. The rhinarium is a separate sense organ: it is a touch-based chemosensory organ that connects with a well-developed vomeronasal organ (VNO). The rhinarium is used to touch a scent-marked object containing pheromones (usually large, non-volatile molecules), and transfer these pheromone molecules down the philtrum to the VNO via the nasopalatine ducts that travel through the incisive foramen of the hard palate. It also acts as a wind-direction detector: cold receptors in the skin of the rhinarium detect the orientation where evaporative cooling is highest, as determined by the wind direction.
View the full Wikipedia page for Rhinarium