In the field of chemical ecology, semiochemicals refer to the chemicals released and detect by organisms to communicate between each other. They are classified as:
- pheromones: released and received by members of the same species (e.g. mating pheromones)
- allomones: released by one species that affects the behavior of another species to the benefit of the originator but not the receiver (e.g. repellent odor to avoid being eaten)
- kairomones: released by one species that affects the behavior of another species to the benefit of the receiver but not the originator (e.g. predator's odor)
- synomones: beneficial to both emitter and receiver (e.g. organism warning a predator about its toxicity)
I find this classification very helpful and one can easily see similarities in sound communication. Has anybody heard about a similar nomenclature for sounds?