As is the case for many odors, moth pheromones are complex blends of single odorants that are detected and processed by the olfactory system. Accurate discrimination between similar odor blends is of fundamental importance to many organisms. Using behavioral and neurophysiological methods we have taken a variety of approaches to evaluate how the moth olfactory system discriminates between the similar pheromonal blends produced by closely-related species. While our understanding of the initial peripheral steps of odor detection reveal the anatomical basis for odor discrimination, processing in higher centers of the brain remains enigmatic.
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