scholarly journals Use of the vomeronasal system during predatory episodes by bull snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus)

1980 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Chiszar ◽  
Charles W. Radcliffe ◽  
Kent Scudder
Keyword(s):  
Vomeronasal System ◽  
Pituophis Melanoleucus

Histological Properties of Main and Accessory Olfactory Bulbs in the Common Hippopotamus

2017 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Kondoh ◽  
Kenichi Watanabe ◽  
Kaori Nishihara ◽  
Yurie S. Ono ◽  
Kentaro G. Nakamura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Granule Cell ◽  
Olfactory System ◽  
Olfactory Nerve ◽  
Mitral Cell ◽  
Vomeronasal System ◽  
Olfactory Bulbs ◽  
Hippopotamus Amphibius ◽  
Cell Layers ◽  
The Common ◽  
Tufted Cells

The olfactory system of mammals comprises a main olfactory system that detects hundreds of odorants and a vomeronasal system that detects specific chemicals such as pheromones. The main (MOB) and accessory (AOB) olfactory bulbs are the respective primary centers of the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems. Most mammals including artiodactyls possess a large MOB and a comparatively small AOB, whereas most cetaceans lack olfactory bulbs. The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is semiaquatic and belongs to the order Cetartiodactyla, family Hippopotamidae, which seems to be the closest extant family to cetaceans. The present study evaluates the significance of the olfactory system in the hippopotamus by histologically analyzing the MOB and AOB of a male common hippopotamus. The MOB comprised six layers (olfactory nerve, glomerular, external plexiform, mitral cell, internal plexiform, and granule cell), and the AOB comprised vomeronasal nerve, glomerular, plexiform, and granule cell layers. The MOB contained mitral cells and tufted cells, and the AOB possessed mitral/tufted cells. These histological features of the MOB and the AOB were similar to those in most artiodactyls. All glomeruli in the AOB were positive for anti-Gαi2, but weakly positive for anti-Gαo, suggesting that the hippopotamus vomeronasal system expresses vomeronasal type 1 receptors with a high affinity for volatile compounds. These findings suggest that the olfactory system of the hippopotamus is as well developed as that of other artiodactyl species and that the hippopotamus might depend on its olfactory system for terrestrial social communication.

scholarly journals Lizard movement tracks: variation in path re-use behaviour is consistent with a scent-marking function

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan T. Leu ◽  
Grant Jackson ◽  
John F. Roddick ◽  
C. Michael Bull
Keyword(s):  
Scent Marking ◽  
Spatial Knowledge ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Vomeronasal System ◽  
Sexual Competition ◽  
Pair Bonds ◽  
Monogamous Species ◽  
Site Familiarity ◽  
Marking Behaviour ◽  
Social Structuring

Individual movement influences the spatial and social structuring of a population. Animals regularly use the same paths to move efficiently to familiar places, or to patrol and mark home ranges. We found that Australian sleepy lizards (Tiliqua rugosa), a monogamous species with stable pair-bonds, repeatedly used the same paths within their home ranges and investigated whether path re-use functions as a scent-marking behaviour, or whether it is influenced by site familiarity. Lizards can leave scent trails on the substrate when moving through the environment and have a well-developed vomeronasal system to detect and respond to those scents. Path re-use would allow sleepy lizards to concentrate scent marks along these well-used trails, advertising their presence. Hypotheses of mate attraction and mating competition predict that sleepy lizard males, which experience greater intra-sexual competition, mark more strongly. Consistent with those hypotheses, males re-used their paths more than females, and lizards that showed pairing behaviour with individuals of the opposite sex re-used paths more than unpaired lizards, particularly among females. Hinterland marking is most economic when home ranges are large and mobility is low, as is the case in the sleepy lizard. Consistent with this strategy, re-used paths were predominantly located in the inner 50% home range areas. Together, our detailed movement analyses suggest that path re-use is a scent marking behaviour in the sleepy lizard. We also investigated but found less support for alternative explanations of path re-use behaviour, such as site familiarity and spatial knowledge. Lizards established the same number of paths, and used them as often, whether they had occupied their home ranges for one or for more years. We discuss our findings in relation to maintenance of the monogamous mating system of this species, and the spatial and social structuring of the population.

scholarly journals From Pheromones to Behavior

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 921-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Tirindelli ◽  
Michele Dibattista ◽  
Simone Pifferi ◽  
Anna Menini
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Reproductive Physiology ◽  
Vomeronasal System ◽  
Standard View ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Pheromonal Communication ◽  
Olfactory Systems ◽  
Molecular Aspects ◽  
Main Olfactory System ◽  
And Behavior

In recent years, considerable progress has been achieved in the comprehension of the profound effects of pheromones on reproductive physiology and behavior. Pheromones have been classified as molecules released by individuals and responsible for the elicitation of specific behavioral expressions in members of the same species. These signaling molecules, often chemically unrelated, are contained in body fluids like urine, sweat, specialized exocrine glands, and mucous secretions of genitals. The standard view of pheromone sensing was based on the assumption that most mammals have two separated olfactory systems with different functional roles: the main olfactory system for recognizing conventional odorant molecules and the vomeronasal system specifically dedicated to the detection of pheromones. However, recent studies have reexamined this traditional interpretation showing that both the main olfactory and the vomeronasal systems are actively involved in pheromonal communication. The current knowledge on the behavioral, physiological, and molecular aspects of pheromone detection in mammals is discussed in this review.

scholarly journals Trpc2 is expressed in two olfactory subsystems, the main and the vomeronasal system of larval Xenopus laevis

2014 ◽  
Vol 217 (13) ◽  
pp. 2235-2238 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sansone ◽  
A. S. Syed ◽  
E. Tantalaki ◽  
S. I. Korsching ◽  
I. Manzini
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Vomeronasal System

scholarly journals The vomeronasal system of the newborn capybara: a morphological and immunohistochemical study

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mateo V. Torres ◽  
Irene Ortiz-Leal ◽  
Paula R. Villamayor ◽  
Andrea Ferreiro ◽  
José Luis Rois ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immunohistochemical Study ◽  
Vomeronasal System
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