Semiochemical
- Pronunciation
- /sem-ee-oh-KEM-i-kul/
- Category
- Behavior
- Singular
- semiochemical
- Plural
- semiochemicals
Definition
A chemical signal released by an organism that elicits a behavioral or physiological response in another organism. Semiochemicals mediate intraspecific communication (between conspecifics) or interspecific communication (between different ), and are classified by function rather than chemical structure. In , they serve roles in mate location, alarm signaling, finding, trail marking, and avoidance.
Etymology
From Greek sēmeion (sign, signal) + chemical
Example
Female (Bombyx mori) release bombykol, a -type semiochemical that males detect across distances of several kilometers, demonstrating the potency and specificity of intraspecific chemical signaling.
Synonyms
- chemical signal
- infochemical
Related Terms
- Pheromone
- Kairomone
- allomone
- synomone
- allelochemical
- chemoreception
- olfaction
- trail pheromone
- Sex pheromone
Usage Notes
The term is broader than '' (strictly intraspecific) and encompasses all functionally defined chemical signals: (benefit receiver, disadvantage emitter), (benefit emitter, disadvantage receiver), and synomones (mutual benefit). distinguish semiochemicals from general metabolic byproducts by their demonstrated signaling function. Field studies often require rigorous behavioral assays to confirm semiochemical activity rather than mere chemical presence.