vomeronasal

1 9.9

Relating to a small organ in animals that senses chemical signals used for communication

adjective
/ˌvoʊmərəˈneɪzəl/

Specialized

: vomeronasal

The vomeronasal organ plays a crucial role in the social behaviors of some animal species.
vomeronasal organ

Examples

The cavities house elaborate chemical sensors called the vomeronasal organs.

Academic text (2003)
The tongue then deposits the chemicals on the vomeronasal organ.

Academic text (2006)
Instead, they transfer compounds from their tongues into two elaborate sensory receptors known as the vomeronasal organs.

Academic text (2003)
Autarchoglossans use their tongues to pick up heavy, non-airborne chemicals and deliver them to the vomeronasal organ, a sense organ in the roof of the mouth.

Academic text (2006)
The change freed the tongue for other functions; however, it likely set the stage for the evolutionary enhancement of the vomeronasal organ, a chemosensory organ embedded in the roof of the mouth.

Academic text (2006)
Many reptiles rely on their vomeronasal organs to detect pheromones in their environment.
In mammals, a well-developed vomeronasal system helps identify potential mates through scent.

Surface Forms

vomeronasal positive

Morphology

vomeronasal = vomer + nasal (semi-transparent) = vomer + nasal

The composition from 'vomer' + 'nasal' is structurally regular, but 'vomer' is a specialized anatomical term that many learners will not know, reducing predictability.

Etymology

Vomeronasal comes from the Latin parts vomer meaning 'ploughshare' and nasal meaning 'nose'. So vomeronasal names the small smell organ by the nose that detects chemical signals like 'pheromones' in some animals.