Authors : Mohsen Abbasi, Ahmad Gharzi and Parisa Usefi
Abstract: Vomeronasal Organ (VNO) in snakes is engaged in chemical communications and hunting. This organ is located in the roof of the mouth, below the nasal cavity. In contrast to mammals, in snakes, the VNO opens only into oral cavity. Environmental stimuli are collected by the forked tongue and transported into to the VNO ducts where their sensory epithelium produced nervous impulses and send to neural centers in brain. In this survey, 10 snakes of Eirenis collaris were collected from their natural habitats and transferred to the laboratory where they were killed and their head were cut and detached from the rest of the body. The heads were then processed for histological examinations. Based on the anatomical and histological investigations, it was found that like other snakes in Eirenis collaris, the VNO is located on the roof oral cavity and beneath the nasal cavity. This organ possesses two ducts that open into oral cavity. Sensory and non-sensory epithelium is found in this organ but secretary component is absent in this species.
Mohsen Abbasi, Ahmad Gharzi and Parisa Usefi, 2011. Histomorphometry of Vomeronasal Organ in the Snake, Eirenis collaris. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 6: 432-435.