Same-Sex Attraction in Worms (IMAGE)

University of Utah

Same-Sex Attraction in Worms

Caption

The blue spot on the left contains sexual attractants from nematode worms that are hermaphrodites, or have male and female organs. The blue spot on the right does not. The photo shows the results of a University of Utah experiments in which the brains of hermaphrodite worms were masculinized so they showed same-sex attraction to other hermaphrodites. The tracks of masculinized hermaphrodites cover the blue spot on the left because the worms were attracted to the odor of other hermaphrodites.

Credit

Jamie White, University of Utah

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