费洛蒙(pheromone)

生物体分泌的一种微量化合物，可以引起同种的其他生物体的特殊反应。费洛蒙在昆虫和脊椎动物（除了鸟类）中普遍存在，在一些真菌、黏土和藻类中也有。该种化合物可由特定的腺体分泌，或混杂在其他物质（如尿）中，可以随意散发或是置於特意选择的地方。费洛蒙用来将生物聚集在一起（如在白蚁、蜜蜂和蚂蚁群体中），引导它们寻找食物（如蚁类留下的臭迹），发出危险讯号（如受伤的鱼类警告其他同类而释放），吸引配偶并发生性行为（无数的例子，也许包括人类），影响性行为的进行（存在於许多哺乳动物和某些昆虫中）。比起其他类型，警告性的费洛蒙常持续更短的时间，并经过更短的距离。在脊椎动物中，化学刺激物常会影响年轻双亲的反应。用作性引诱剂的费洛蒙在特定产品中用来诱惑和捕捉多余的和有害的昆虫。

English version：

pheromone

Any chemical compound secreted by an organism in minute amounts to elicit a particular reaction from other organisms of the same species. Pheromones are widespread among insects and vertebrates (except birds) and are present in some fungi, slime molds, and algae. The chemicals may be secreted by special glands or incorporated into other substances (e.g., urine), shed freely or deposited in selected locations. Pheromones are used to bring creatures together (e.g., in termite, bee, and ant colonies), lead them to food (e.g., in scent trails laid by ants), signal danger (e.g., when released by wounded fish to alert others), attract a mate and elicit sexual behavior (numerous examples, possibly including humans), and influence sexual development (in many mammals and certain insects). Alarm pheromones often last a shorter time and travel a shorter distance than other types. In vertebrates, chemical stimuli often influence parent-young responses. Sex-attractant pheromones are used in certain products to lure and trap unwanted or harmful insects.