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Brief Communications
Nature 444, 1024-1025 (21 December 2006) | doi:10.1038/4441024a; Received 18 August 2006; Accepted 28 November 2006; Published online 21 December 2006
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Olfaction: Underwater 'sniffing' by semi-aquatic mammals
Kenneth C. Catania1
Abstract
Terrestrial species that forage underwater face challenges because their body parts and senses are adapted for land — for example, it is widely held that mammals cannot use olfaction underwater because it is impossible for them to inspire air (sniff) to convey odorants to the olfactory epithelium1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Here I describe a mechanism for underwater sniffing used by the semi-aquatic star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata) and water shrew (Sorex palustris). While underwater, both species exhale air bubbles onto objects or scent trails and then re-inspire the bubbles to carry the smell back through the nose. This newly described behaviour provides a mechanism for mammalian olfaction underwater.
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