Noninvasive high field MRI brain imaging of the Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
This report documents the application of high field magnetic resonance imaging to viewing the central nervous system of garter snakes (12-43 g) with emphasis on the vomeronasal and olfactory systems. Slices in all three planes were taken in lightly sedated snakes showing many major neural structures with resolution down to less than 60 μm. The […]
Odorant discrimination by tiger salamanders after combined olfactory and vomeronasal nerve cuts
Tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) were trained to respond to n-butyl acetate, 8.9×10-5 M; 2.7×10-6 M. Then they were given combined bilateral olfactory and vomeronasal nerve cuts (NC) or sham surgery (S). After surgery, animals were tested at two concentration levels for responding to butyl acetate and discriminative responding between butyl acetate and butyl alcohol. NC […]
The forked tongue and edge detection in snakes (Crotalus oreganus): An experimental test
Many stimulus-detection systems are lateralized to allow for simultaneous comparison of paired stimuli. It has been hypothesized that the deeply forked tongue of snakes and some derived lizards functions as a chemical edge detector where cues gathered by each tine are kept separate to provide two points of lateral odor assessment by the central nervous […]