Abstract
Abstract The infrared organs of boas, pythons, and pit vipers are true eyes that function not by a photochemical reaction but on the basis of heat generated in the receptors (called terminal nerve masses, TNMs), by electromagnetic radiation. In the pythons and pit vipers, the pit opening acts as the aperture of a pinhole camera, a virtual lens that permits the receptors to encode the movements of an infrared source sufficiently for the brain to form an image. Many boid snakes possess TNMs identical to those of the pythons but lack an opening that could serve as a lens. All TNMs are irrigated by a dense capillary network that serves as a heat regulator, mimicking the role of the photochemical cycle in the lateral eyes. Thus, the pits are an integral part of the snakes' visual system, which makes use of the longer waves of the electromagnetic spectrum for which there are no appropriate photoreceptive pigments in nature; they do everything the eyes do. They are definitely not, as they have often been treated...
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
