In many species, induction of metamorphosis occurs as a sensory response to a chemical cue indicative of the juvenile and/or adult habitat.

In bivalves, the chemical cue may be produced by bacteria specific to the type of biofilm growing in the adult habitat.

The developed larvae will receive a chemical cue from adults to settle down into a bed of sand dollars and begin to undergo metamorphosis to their adult sand dollar form.

The team suspects that besides offering a physical barrier to the bites, the graphene also blocks the chemical cues coming off of human skin.

The auditory cues were found to have a more powerful effect than chemical cues that a fish was in the vicinity.