The role of nasal chemical senses in garter snake response to airborne odor cues from prey.

• DOI: 10.1037/0735-7036.111.3.251
• Publication Date: 2005-09-22T16:28:03Z
• Authors: Mimi Halpern; Jeffrey Halpern; Evelyn Erichsen; Saihan Borghjid
• Keywords: Vomeronasal organ

Garter snakes increase tongue-flick rates in the presence of airborne odorants (amyl acetate, limonene, earthworm wash vapor, fish water earthworms, goldfish) but not vapor. Main olfactory (MO) nerve lesions result loss this rate elevation odorants. Vomeronasal (VN) a diminution elevation. discriminate between 2 arms maze containing odor as compared with blank control. Following MO lesions, fail to make discrimination. VN or duct suture, are initially able discrimination may eventually cease prefer prey-odor side and stop eating prey rewards. These results support idea that detected by main system such detection does require functional system.