{"id":581,"date":"2013-05-06T18:32:42","date_gmt":"2013-05-06T18:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/?page_id=581"},"modified":"2026-09-14T19:57:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T19:57:42","slug":"stereo-sniffing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/research\/stereo-sniffing\/","title":{"rendered":"Stereo Sniffing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n
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Although the common mole (Scalopus aquaticus) has a less developed sense of touch compared to other moles, it is a very efficient forager with one of the largest ranges of all moles \u2013 occurring in much of the eastern United States.\u00a0 It cannot see, but it can navigate directly towards many of its insect and earthworm prey.\u00a0 This impressive feat is accomplished using stereo smell \u2013 the ability to make comparisons across the two nostrils with each sniff.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nIn the frames shown to the left, a mole emerges from a chamber while sniffing, and then quickly moves directly toward a piece of an earthworm.\u00a0 There is no sent trail in the arena, thus the mole navigates using the odor gradient emminating from the earthworm.\u00a0 The same ability is seen under infrared illumination. (Movie<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nAs would be predicted for a stereo system, blocking a single nostril causes the animal to veer off in the direction of the open nostril when approaching odor sources. Movie<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nFlipping the nostrils with tubes causes repulsion from the odor.\u00a0 This is because any deviation from a direct course is amplified.\u00a0 For example when on the right of the odor, the left nostril is most stimulated, but when on the left of the odor, the right nostril is most stimulated. Movie<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nStereo sniffing cues are only part of the mole\u2019s olfactory toolkit.\u00a0 They also use more conventional \u201cserial\u201d sniffing cues at the same time, which allow them to overcome the effect of nostril block to locate odors.\u00a0 Serial sniffing cues likely provide the information\u00a0 moles use to orient from longer distances where the odor gradient is less steep.\u00a0 In contrast, stereo sniffing cues are most likely important at short distances.\u00a0 The schematic at the left illustrates the hypothetical combined use of stereo and serial sniffing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Click here for a recent paper (with movies) covering this research.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Although the common mole (Scalopus aquaticus) has a less developed sense of touch compared to other moles, it is a very efficient forager with one of the largest ranges of all moles \u2013 occurring in much of the eastern United … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1040,"featured_media":0,"parent":5,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"spay_email":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/581"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1040"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=581"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":843,"href":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/581\/revisions\/843"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp0.vanderbilt.edu\/catanialab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}