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Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences logoLink to Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
. 2002 Aug 22;269(1501):1681–1685. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2002.2056

Do pheromones reveal male immunocompetence?

Markus J Rantala 1, Ilmari Jokinen 1, Raine Kortet 1, Anssi Vainikka 1, Jukka Suhonen 1
PMCID: PMC1691089  PMID: 12204128

Abstract

Pheromones function not only as mate attractors, but they may also relay important information to prospective mates. It has been shown that vertebrates can distinguish, via olfactory mechanisms, major histocompatibility complex types in their prospective mates. However, whether pheromones can transmit information about immunocompetence is unknown. Here, we show that female mealworm beetles (Tenebrio molitor) prefer pheromones from males with better immunocompetence, indicated by a faster encapsulation rate against a novel antigen, and higher levels of phenoloxidase in haemolymph. Thus, the present study indicates that pheromones could transmit information about males' parasite resistance ability and may work as a reliable sexual ornament for female choice.

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Selected References

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