The brain of the African wild dog. II. The olfactory system

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Samson Chengetanai
  • Adhil Bhagwandin
  • Bertelsen, Mads Frost
  • Therese Hård
  • Patrick R. Hof
  • Muhammad A. Spocter
  • Paul R. Manger

Employing a range of neuroanatomical stains, we detail the organization of the main and accessory olfactory systems of the African wild dog. The organization of both these systems follows that typically observed in mammals, but variations of interest were noted. Within the main olfactory bulb, the size of the glomeruli, at approximately 350 μm in diameter, are on the larger end of the range observed across mammals. In addition, we estimate that approximately 3,500 glomeruli are present in each main olfactory bulb. This larger main olfactory bulb glomerular size and number of glomeruli indicates that enhanced peripheral processing of a broad range of odorants is occurring in the main olfactory bulb of the African wild dog. Within the accessory olfactory bulb, the glomeruli did not appear distinct, rather forming a homogenous syncytia-like arrangement as seen in the domestic dog. In addition, the laminar organization of the deeper layers of the accessory olfactory bulb was indistinct, perhaps as a consequence of the altered architecture of the glomeruli. This arrangement of glomeruli indicates that rather than parcellating the processing of semiochemicals peripherally, these odorants may be processed in a more nuanced and combinatorial manner in the periphery, allowing for more rapid and precise behavioral responses as required in the highly social group structure observed in the African wild dog. While having a similar organization to that of other mammals, the olfactory system of the African wild dog has certain features that appear to correlate to their environmental niche.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Comparative Neurology
Volume528
Issue number18
Pages (from-to)3285-3304
Number of pages20
ISSN0021-9967
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC

    Research areas

  • accessory olfactory bulb, Carnivora, olfaction, RRID: AB_10000321, RRID: AB_10000323, RRID: AB_10000340, RRID: AB_10000343, RRID: AB_11204707, RRID: AB_2079751, RRID: AB_2088494, RRID: AB_2187552, RRID: AB_509997, RRID: AB_91545, semiochemicals, sociality

ID: 282938586