Fine structure of the vomeronasal organ in the grass lizard, Takydromus tachydromoides

Abstract

The squamates are composed of many taxa, among which there is morphological variation in the vomeronasal organ (VNO). To elucidate the evolution of chemoreception in squamate reptiles, morphological data from the VNO from a variety of squamate species is required. In this study, the morphology of the VNO of the grass lizard Takydromus tachydromoides was examined using light and electron microscopy. The VNO consists of a pair of dome-shaped structures, which communicate with the oral cavity. There are no associated glandular structures. Microvilli are present on the apical surfaces of receptor cells in its sensory epithelium, as well as on supporting cells, and there are centrioles and ciliary precursor bodies on the dendrites. In addition to ciliated cells and basal cells in the non-sensory epithelium, there is a novel type of non-ciliated cell in T. tachydromoides. They have constricted apical cytoplasm and microvilli instead of cilia, and are sparsely distributed in the epithelium. Based on these results, the variation in the morphology of the VNO in scincomorpha, a representative squamate taxon, is discussed.