Skip to main content
Log in

Female pheromone in the black molly fish (Mollinenesia latipinna): A possible metabolic correlate

  • Published:
Journal of Chemical Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The female black mollyMollinenesia latipinna emits a water-borne pheromone which increases general activity and social contacts among males. Two hormones, thyroxine and thiouracil, administered to the females increase these behaviors in males. Apparently the hormones do not functionally compete in this species, and both seem to elevate the emission of the male stimulant.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Refarences

  • Birch, M.C. (ed.). 1974. Pheromones. North-Holland Publishing, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doty, R.L. 1976. Reproductive endocrine influence upon human nasal chemoreceptors: A review,in R.L. Doty (ed.). Mammalian olfaction, reproductive processes and behavior. Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fry, F.E.J., andHochachka, P.W. 1970. Fish,in G.C. Whittow (ed.). Comparative physiology of thermoregulation. Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, L.E., andRaven, P.H. (eds.). 1973. Coevolution of animals and plants (Symposium V, First International Congress of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology, Boulder, Colorado, August 1973). University of Texas Press, Austin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noirot, C., Howse, P.E., andLe Masne, G. 1975. Pheromones and defensive secretions in social insects (The Proceedings of a Symposium Sept. 18–20, 1975, at the University of Dijon). French Section of the I.U.S.S.I., Dijon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skeen, J.T., andThiessen, D.D. 1976. The scent of gerbil cuisine. Sixth Annual Behavior Genetics Association Meeting. Boulder, Colorado, June 18.

  • Thiessen, D.D. 1977. Thermoenergetics and the evolution of pheromone communication, in J.M. Sprague and A.N. Epstein (eds.). Progress in Psychobiology and Physiological Psychology, Vol. 7. Academic Press, New York. In press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thiessen, D.D., Clancy, A., andGoodwin, M. 1976. Harderian gland pheromone in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus).J. Chem. Ecol. 2:231–238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thiessen, D.D., andRice, M. 1977. Mammalian scent gland marking and social behavior.Psychol. Bull. In press.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This research was supported by NIMH grant MH 14076-09 awarded to D.D. Thiessen. We wish to thank Carol Royder for assistance with the project.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thiessen, D.D., Sturdivant, S.K. Female pheromone in the black molly fish (Mollinenesia latipinna): A possible metabolic correlate. J Chem Ecol 3, 207–217 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994147

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994147

Key words

Navigation