Halpern M, Borghjid S
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, State University of New York Health Science Center, Brooklyn 11203, USA.
J Comp Psychol. 1997 Sep;111(3):302-6. doi: 10.1037/0735-7036.111.3.302.
The anterior processes of snakes may transfer odorants from the tongue to the vomeronasal (VN) organ. To test whether the anterior processes are required for a vomeronasally mediated behavior, the authors tested garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) preoperatively and after cauterization of the anterior processes or control cauterization with artificial earthworms covered with earthworm wash (EWW) or distilled water. Snakes in both groups attacked EWW-covered artificial worms but not controls both pre- and postoperatively. In addition, snakes with anterior processes cauterization or control cauterization tongue flicked 3H-proline. Radioautographs of the VN organs of snakes with and without anterior processes were indistinguishable: Snakes in both groups had reduced silver grains over the VN sensory epithelium as had been reported previously with intact snakes. These findings indicate that the anterior processes are unnecessary both for a behavior known to require a functional VN system and for delivery of odorants to the VN organ.
蛇的前突可能会将气味分子从舌头传递到犁鼻器（VN）。为了测试前突对于犁鼻器介导行为是否必要，作者对束带蛇（美洲束带蛇）在术前以及在前突烧灼后或用覆盖蚯蚓浸出液（EWW）或蒸馏水的人工蚯蚓进行对照烧灼后进行了测试。两组中的蛇在术前和术后都攻击了覆盖EWW的人工蠕虫，但不攻击对照组。此外，前突烧灼或对照烧灼的蛇都用舌头轻弹3H-脯氨酸。有和无前突的蛇的VN器官放射自显影片没有区别：两组中的蛇在VN感觉上皮上的银颗粒都减少了，这与之前完整蛇的情况一致。这些发现表明，前突对于一种已知需要功能性VN系统的行为以及将气味分子传递到VN器官来说都是不必要的。
