Pheromones and Other Chemical Communication in Animals

Abstract

Chemical communication is used almost universally across the animal kingdom, probably in all species from nematodes to humans. Pheromones are the chemical signals used in intraspecific communication. Pheromones are one kind of semiochemical. Other semiochemicals include the individual odors (or social insect colony odors) that differ between individuals (or colonies) and which are remembered as signature mixtures by other conspecifics. Pheromones evolve from compounds that have informational value, and this often explains why certain compounds have become used for chemical communication in a particular species and context. Pheromones can have direct (releaser) effects on behavior and/or longer-lasting primer effects which act via the endocrine system of the receiver. Pheromones are important in speciation and all aspects of behavior of animals.