Abstract

Injection of a peptide of 36 amino acids into virgin Drosophila females changes their reproductive properties drastically: males are rejected and egg laying is increased. The neuronal and physiological properties of the virgin state are replaced by a new pattern of behavior and stimulation of egg production and deposition. Under natural conditions, the peptide is synthesized by the male and transferred into the female during copulation. The sex‐peptide, therefore, can be considered as a pheromone. In this review, I shall limit my discussion to Drosophila melanogaster.