Biologists discover that many nematode species make the same types of small-molecule pheromones
Friday, April 13, 2012 - 07:02
in Biology & Nature
(Phys.org) -- All animals seem to have ways of exchanging informationmonkeys vocalize complex messages, ants create scent trails to food, and fireflies light up their bellies to attract mates. Yet, despite the fact that nematodes, or roundworms, are among the most abundant animals on the planet, little is known about the way they network. Now, research led by California Institute of Technology (Caltech) biologists has shown that a wide range of nematodes communicate using a recently discovered class of chemical cues.