Abstract: Chemical communication plays an important role in the survival and reproduction of most animals. Some species can perceive internal and external environment changes through chemical communication and then react in favor of them. For most decapod crustaceans, chemosensory is the dominant sensory pathway. Antenna and antennule are the most important sensory organs of decapod crustaceans. The recognition of chemical signal molecules in the environment is of great significance to avoiding predators, mating, and reproduction. Different positions of antenna and antennule mediate different pathways and assist the organisms to make more accurate and effective judgments when responding to different signals. With the development of molecular technology, more olfactory receptors and chemoreceptors have been found. They are the basis of receiving and transmitting the information. Different receptors perform different functions and are sensitive to different substances. Exploring the structure and function of receptors will better reveal the mechanisms of chemical communication of decapod crustaceans. In this review, we summarized the mechanisms of chemical communication. After receiving chemical signals, chemosensory organs produce physiological and behavioral changes through different conduction pathways. We also summarized the main types and functions of pheromone in decapod crustaceans, including sex pheromone, alarm pheromone, and larval release pheromone. The purpose of this paper is to provide the theoretical references for research on decapod crustaceans.

Key words: decapod crustaceans, chemosensory organ, chemoreceptor protein, chemical transduction pathway, pheromone, chemical communication.