Topic: New publication on olfaction in the bowhead whale (*Balaena mysticetus*) (Ian Farnkopf)
My co-authors and I are excited to present to you our publication that provides guidance on how to identify olfactory epithelium histologically in mammals, shows olfactory epithelium in bowhead whales (*Balaena mysticetus*), and supports the notion that baleen whales have a sense of smell. Additionally, we describe the gross anatomy of the nasal chambers in a preterm fetus, a full-term fetus, and a subadult bowhead. Farnkopf, I. C., George, J. C., Kishida, T., Hillmann, D. J., Suydam, R. S., & Thewissen, J. G. M. (2022). Olfactory epithelium and ontogeny of the nasal chambers in the bowhead whale (*Balaena mysticetus*). *Anatomical Record*, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.24682 It is in a special issue on marine mammal sensory systems. Abstract: In a species of baleen whale, we identify olfactory epithelium that suggests a functional sense of smell and document the ontogeny of the surrounding olfactory anatomy. Whales must surface to breathe, thereby providing an opportunity to detect airborne odorants. Although many toothed whales (odontocetes) lack olfactory anatomy, baleen whales (mysticetes) have retained theirs. Here, we investigate fetal and postnatal specimens of bowhead whales (*Balaena mysticetus*). Computed tomography (CT) reveals the presence of nasal passages and nasal chambers with simple ethmoturbinates through ontogeny. Additionally, we describe the dorsal nasal meatuses and olfactory bulb chambers. The cribriform plate has foramina that communicate with the nasal chambers. We show this anatomy within the context of the whole prenatal and postnatal skull. We document the tunnel for the ethmoidal nerve (ethmoid foramen) and the rostrolateral recess of the nasal chamber, which appears postnatally. Bilateral symmetry was apparent in the postnatal nasal chambers. No such symmetry was found prenatally, possibly due to tissue deformation. No nasal air sacs were found in fetal development. Olfactory epithelium, identified histologically, covers at least part of the ethmoturbinates. We identify olfactory epithelium using six explicit criteria of mammalian olfactory epithelium. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of olfactory marker protein (OMP), which is only found in mature olfactory sensory neurons. Although it seems that these neurons are scarce in bowhead whales compared to typical terrestrial mammals, our results suggest that bowhead whales have a functional sense of smell, which they may use to find prey. Feel free to email me if you're not able to access the full-text at https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.24682 I'd be happy to send you a PDF copy, Ian Farnkopf ifarn...@kent.edu Ph.D Candidate | Kent State University Thewissen Laboratory | Northeast Ohio Medical University Instructor | Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine
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