Chemical Communication in Reptiles of the Orders Testudines, Crocodrylia and Ryncochephalia

Reptiles are organisms that rely heavily on chemical senses.As a result, they have developed various types of chemical signals, such as pheromones and kairomones.These signals play a crucial role in ecological interactions within ecosystems.Turtles, tuatara, and crocodiles are examples of reptiles that have evolved specific adaptations in their chemosensory organs.These adaptations allow them to carry out various behaviors, such as courtship, mate selection, and prey discrimination.In the case of turtles and crocodiles, they can perceive chemical traces in different media, such as water and air, with the olfactory epithelium being their main sensory organ; However, the tuataras, despite having a vomeronasal organ, their adaptations are different from the specialists of this organ (snakes and lizards) since rhynchocephalians do not oscillate their tongue to detect chemical traces, they do so through a direct channel, these characteristics being determining factors.for the conduct displayed by the members of the aforementioned orders themselves.