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Chemical access to the vomeronasal organs of a plethodontid salamander
Author(s) -
Dawley Ellen M.,
Bass Andrew H.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1052000206
Subject(s) - vomeronasal organ , biology , salamander , anatomy , nose , caudata , olfactory epithelium , sensory system , zoology , neuroscience
Plethodontid salamanders have unique nasolabial grooves that may function as “capillary tubes” to convey chemicals to the vomeronasal organ when these animals nose‐tap. 3 H‐proline was placed at the base of these grooves in Plethodon cinereus , and autoradiography revealed large concentrations of radioactive material in the vomeronasal organs. There was no significant accumulation of radioactive material in the main olfactory epithelium. Salamanders with blocked nasolabial grooves lacked significant accumulation of material in their nasolabial grooves or vomeronasal epithelia, although some salamanders had radioactive material in the posterior portion of their vomeronasal organ that had entered through the internal nares. Anteriorly placed vomeronasal organs situated adjacent to the posterior limits of the nasolabial grooves may insure that nose‐tapping primarily stimulates the vomeronasal sensory epithelium.