AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The most important function of sex pheromones is to allow organisms to identify mating partners of the opposite gender. Predictably, chemical signals advertising gender are commonly produced in a sex-specific manner, whether male-specific, female-specific or a combination of the two.

Detailed explanation-2: -The chemical agents, called pheromones, are given off by most insects and mammals to attract the opposite sex. “A pheromone is a chemical agent that is produced by one member of a given species, released into the environment and exerts its effect on the other member, ” said Anderson.

Detailed explanation-3: -Bees, wasps, ants, moths and other insects rely largely upon pheromones as a means of communication. Pheromones are chemical substances which may be secreted in urine, dung or produced by special glands. They are usually given off by the female of the species to attract males.

Detailed explanation-4: -A putative pheromone secreted particularly by women is estratetraenol (estra-1, 3, 5(10), 16-tetraen-3-ol, Fig. 1) which was first isolated from the urine of pregnant women (Thysen et al., 1968). This chemosignal is likely present in other secretions such as axillary sweat.

Detailed explanation-5: -A pheromone is a species-specific chemical signal that incites a response in another organism. Pheromones are involved in a wide variety of behaviors, including mate selection, food acquisition, alarm responses, territory marking, predation defenses, and other social behaviors indicating social status.