Olfaction and brain size in the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) |
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Authors: | J. G. M. Thewissen John George Cheryl Rosa Takushi Kishida |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, 4209 State Route 44, Rootstown, Ohio 44272, U.S.A. E‐mail: thewisse@neoucom.edu;2. Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, P. O. Box 69, Barrow, Alaska 99723, U.S.A.;3. Department of Zoology, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606‐8502, Japan |
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Abstract: | Although there are several isolated references to the olfactory anatomy of mysticetes, it is usually thought that olfaction is rudimentary in this group. We investigated the olfactory anatomy of bowhead whales and found that these whales have a cribriform plate and small, but histologically complex olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb makes up approximately 0.13% of brain weight, unlike odontocetes where this structure is absent. We also determined that 51% of olfactory receptor genes were intact, unlike odontocetes, where this number is less than 25%. This suggests that bowheads have a sense of smell, and we speculate that they may use this to find aggregations of krill on which they feed. |
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Keywords: | bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus olfaction anatomy olfactory receptor genes brain evolution |
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