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J Exp Biol

Title:		The olfactory pathway for individual recognition in the American lobster Homarus americanus
Author(s):		Johnson ME; Atema J;
Address:		"Boston University Marine Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA"
Journal Title:		J Exp Biol
Year:		2005
Volume:		208
Issue:		Pt 15
Page Number:		2865 - 2872
DOI:		10.1242/jeb.01707
ISSN/ISBN:		0022-0949 (Print) 0022-0949 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Individual recognition in the lobster Homarus americanus (Milne-Edwards), is based on detection of urine pheromones via chemoreceptors of the lateral antennular flagellum. The specific sensory pathway mediating this recognition is not known. Most of the chemoreceptor cells of this flagellum are found in the unimodal aesthetasc sensilla and project specifically to the glomeruli of the olfactory lobe in the brain. Additional chemoreceptor cells are located among mechanoreceptor cells in bimodal sensilla, including the guard hairs; they do not project to the olfactory lobe. This neuroanatomy suggested that aesthetascs were essential to all complex chemosensory tasks until it was shown that spiny lobsters Panulirus argus can still perform complex food odor discrimination and localization tasks without aesthetascs. Here, we demonstrate that the aesthetascs of H. americanus contain the chemoreceptors necessary for individual recognition of familiar opponents. In contrast to intact and guard hair-shaved animals, lobsters with aesthetascs removed did not recognize previous opponents as shown by second encounters statistically similar in length and aggression to first-encounter fights. Non-aesthetasc chemosensory pathways were incapable of rescuing opponent recognition. Subsequent lesion of all remaining chemoreceptor cells (by immersion in distilled water) abolished recognition and renewed fighting"
Keywords:		"Aggression/physiology Analysis of Variance Animals Chemoreceptor Cells/anatomy & histology/*physiology Immersion Male Massachusetts Nephropidae/*physiology Olfactory Pathways/*physiology Recognition, Psychology/*physiology Time Factors Video Recording;"
Notes:		"MedlineJohnson, Meg E Atema, Jelle eng Comparative Study Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. England 2005/07/27 J Exp Biol. 2005 Aug; 208(Pt 15):2865-72. doi: 10.1242/jeb.01707"