All in the Family - Touch Versus Olfaction in Moles.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of comparative animal neurobiology and behavior (CEBM Level 5 / animal research)
PubMed 30614659 · doi:10.1002/ar.24057
What was done
Reviewed and compared the neurobiology, neocortical organization, and foraging behavior of two species in the family Talpidae: the eastern common mole (Scalopus aquaticus) and the star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata).
What was found
The star-nosed mole possesses a mechanosensory star organ with 22 epidermal appendages containing 25,000 touch domes (Eimer's organs), mapped across three somatosensory cortical areas with magnification of the 11th ray as a tactile fovea used in saccadic foraging. Common moles lack Eimer's organs and have only two cortical nose maps, but utilize stereo sniffing to localize discrete odor sources and track odorant trails from larger prey.
Why it matters
The paper demonstrates how divergent sensory specializations (high-resolution touch versus stereo olfaction) in closely related species drive distinct neocortical organization and foraging strategies.
Limits
This is a narrative review summarizing descriptive animal neuroanatomy and neuroethology without human data, systematic review methodology, sample sizes, or quantitative statistical effect estimates reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports The star-nosed mole possesses a specialized nose with 22 fleshy appendages used to navigate tunnels via touch.