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Published online 14 October 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2009.1000
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Chemical keeps male sex drive in check
A single pheromone ensures a male fruitfly's urge to mate targets the right sex.
Male fruitflies will try to mate with nearly anything with a pair of wings — as long as it doesn't have a funky smell, work by a team of scientists in Canada suggests.
Hydrocarbons on the fly's exoskeleton, or cuticle, are known to act as pheromones, providing signals during courtship and helping flies identify members of their own species.
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And that's why we have the deoderant industry.