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How Moths Find Their Flame – Genetics of Mate Attraction Discovered

By May 19, 2021No Comments

The mysteries of sexual attraction just became a little less mysterious – at least for moths. A team of six American and European research groups including Tufts University has discovered which gene expressed in the brain of the male European corn borer moth controls his preference for the sex pheromone produced by females. This complements a previous study on the gene expressed in the female pheromone gland that dictates the type of blend she emits to attract males. The study was reported in Nature Communications.