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Olfaction

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Extracellular Multi-Unit Recording from the Olfactory Nerve of Teleosts

Extracellular Multi-Unit Recording from the Olfactory Nerve of Teleosts

Published on: October 6, 2020

Perception of airborne odors by loggerhead sea turtles.

C S Endres¹, N F Putman, K J Lohmann

¹Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. Endres@email.unc.edu

The Journal of Experimental Biology

|November 17, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Sea turtles can detect airborne odors, a sensory ability crucial for foraging and navigation. This study provides the first direct evidence of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) responding to airborne food cues.

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Area of Science:

Marine Biology
Animal Behavior
Sensory Ecology

Background:

Sea turtles detect chemical cues in water.
Unlike most marine animals, sea turtles surface to breathe, accessing both aquatic and aerial environments.
This breathing behavior suggests potential access to airborne olfactory cues.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if sea turtles possess the ability to detect airborne chemical cues.
To determine the role of aerial olfaction in sea turtle behavior.

Main Methods:

Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) were placed in a water-filled arena.
Airborne odorants from food and distilled water were introduced above the water surface.
Turtles' activity, diving, and feeding behaviors were observed and recorded.

Main Results:

Air passed over food elicited increased activity and feeding-related behaviors.
Air passed over distilled water did not elicit a response.
Behavioral responses occurred post-breathing, indicating detection of airborne cues.

Conclusions:

Sea turtles, specifically loggerhead turtles, can detect airborne odors.
This aerial olfactory ability is likely used in natural behaviors such as foraging and navigation.
Provides the first direct evidence for airborne olfactory detection in sea turtles.