Smells in water
2006/12/21 Rementeria Argote, Nagore - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa
That of the image is the end of a flake, a flake of extreme star. And, as has just been seen, this mole smells not only on land but also under water.
The topo of extreme star (Condylura cristata) hunts on land and in water. Recording the hunt with video cameras, a researcher at the University of Vanderbilt (USA) found that the mole also uses smell in water. He made the recording with a high-speed camera, and saw that the molo quickly introduced and extracted bubbles from the nostrils, ten times per second, such as short, fast breaths used by mice when smelling the air.
The researcher did several tests to check if these bubbles help him smell. And it seems that the test has been easily overcome by the mole: when it can use smell it gets a better result in hunting.
Photo: Ken Catania.
