Comparative morphology of the vomeronasal receptor-free epithelium of some phyllostomid bats: light microscopic observations.

Abstract

The vomeronasal organ (YNO) receptor-free epithelium (RFE) of Diaemus youngii is compa red with that of Desmodus rotundus, Diphylla ecaudata, Artibeus jamaicensis, and Carollia perspicillata. The entire RFE of Diaemus bears tall cilia, whereas mixed populations of ciliated and non-ciliated cells occur in Desmodus and Diphylla, dropping to a few ciliated ones in the latter species. The RFE in Artibeus and Carollia is non-ciliated. It is suggested that the function of RFE cilia may have to be performed by the neuroepithelial microvilli in the non-ciliated VNO of Artibeus and Carollia. Since the Diaemus RFE is heavily ciliated, it is inferred that the overall chemoreceptive function of the VNO might be greatly enhanced by the cilia clearing the organ lumen of its fluids at a quicker pace, thus making the Diaemus VNO a highly efficient chemosensory organ compared to these other species.