Function Body odor

animals

in many animals, body odor plays important survival function. strong body odor can warning signal predators stay away (such porcupine stink), or can signal prey animal unpalatable. example, animals species, feign death survive (like opossums), in state produce strong body odor deceive predator prey animal has been dead long time , in advanced stage of decomposing. animals strong body odor attacked predators, although can still killed , eaten birds of prey, tolerant of carrion odors.

body odor important feature of animal physiology. plays different role in different animal species. example, in predator species hunt stalking (such big , small cats), absence of body odor important, , spend plenty of time , energy keep body free of odor. other predators, use endurance running after visually located prey hunting strategy (dogs, wolves), absence of body odor not critical. in animals, body odor intensifies in moments of stress , danger.

humans

sebaceous , apocrine glands become active @ puberty. this, many apocrine glands being close sex organs, points role related mating. compared other primates, humans have extensive axillary hair , have many odor producing sources, in particular many apocrine glands. in women, sense of olfaction strongest around time of ovulation, stronger during other phases of menstrual cycle , stronger sense in males.

humans can olfactorily detect blood-related kin. mothers can identify body odor biological children, not stepchildren. preadolescent children can olfactorily detect full siblings, not half-siblings or step siblings, , might explain incest avoidance , westermarck effect. babies can recognize mothers smell while mothers, fathers, , other relatives can identify baby smell.

humans have few olfactory receptor cells compared dogs , few functional olfactory receptor genes compared rats. in part due reduction of size of snout in order achieve depth perception other changes related bipedalism. however, has been argued humans may have larger brain areas associated olfactory perception compared other species.

studies have suggested people might using odor cues associated immune system select mates. using brain imaging technique, swedish researchers have shown homosexual , heterosexual males brains respond in different ways 2 odors may involved in sexual arousal, , homosexual men respond in same way heterosexual women, though not determined whether cause or effect. when study expanded include lesbian women; results consistent previous findings meaning lesbian women not responsive male identified odors, while response female cues similar heterosexual males. according researchers, research suggests possible role human pheromones in biological basis of sexual orientation.