Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA.
Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2020 Jun 8;375(1800):20190264. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0264. Epub 2020 Apr 20.
The study of human chemical communication benefits from comparative perspectives that relate humans, conceptually and empirically, to other primates. All major primate groups rely on intraspecific chemosignals, but strepsirrhines present the greatest diversity and specialization, providing a rich framework for examining design, delivery and perception. Strepsirrhines actively scent mark, possess a functional vomeronasal organ, investigate scents via olfactory and gustatory means, and are exquisitely sensitive to chemically encoded messages. Variation in delivery, scent mixing and multimodality alters signal detection, longevity and intended audience. Based on an integrative, 19-species review, the main scent source used (excretory versus glandular) differentiates nocturnal from diurnal or cathemeral species, reflecting differing socioecological demands and evolutionary trajectories. Condition-dependent signals reflect immutable (species, sex, identity, genetic diversity, immunity and kinship) and transient (health, social status, reproductive state and breeding history) traits, consistent with socio-reproductive functions. Sex reversals in glandular elaboration, marking rates or chemical richness in female-dominant species implicate sexual selection of olfactory ornaments in both sexes. Whereas some compounds may be endogenously produced and modified (e.g. via hormones), microbial analyses of different odorants support the fermentation hypothesis of bacterial contribution. The intimate contexts of information transfer and varied functions provide important parallels applicable to olfactory communication in humans. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Olfactory communication in humans'.
人类化学通讯的研究受益于比较视角，这些视角将人类从概念和经验上与其他灵长类动物联系起来。所有主要的灵长类群体都依赖于种内化学信号，但树鼩目呈现出最大的多样性和专业化，为研究设计、传递和感知提供了丰富的框架。树鼩目动物积极地用气味标记，拥有功能性的犁鼻器，通过嗅觉和味觉手段探测气味，并且对化学编码的信息非常敏感。传递、气味混合和多模态的变化改变了信号的检测、持续时间和预期的受众。基于对 19 个物种的综合回顾，主要的气味来源（排泄还是腺体）将夜间物种与昼间或昼夜活动物种区分开来，反映了不同的社会生态需求和进化轨迹。条件依赖信号反映了不变的（物种、性别、身份、遗传多样性、免疫力和亲属关系）和瞬态的（健康、社会地位、生殖状态和繁殖历史）特征，与社会生殖功能一致。在雌性主导物种中，腺体发育、标记率或化学物质丰富度的性别逆转暗示了嗅觉装饰物在两性中的性选择。虽然有些化合物可能是内源性产生和修饰的（例如通过激素），但对不同气味剂的微生物分析支持细菌贡献的发酵假说。信息传递的亲密背景和多样化的功能为人类嗅觉通讯提供了重要的应用类比。本文是 Theo Murphy 会议议题“人类嗅觉通讯”的一部分。
