# Finally proved



## PilbaraPythons (Aug 24, 2008)

Finally after years of hinting, somebody has done research into my belief that Aspidites do have heat sensing pits, it has now been proven. Have a read of the following if you are interested.

A New Type of Infrared Sensitive Organ in the Python Aspidites sp.
by Guido Westhoff Shaun P. Collin
Pythons are well known to possess an infrared sense enabling them to perceive infrared radiation. It is believed that the infrared sense is mainly used to localise their warm blooded prey. The infrared sensitive organs are comprised of infrared sensitive thermoreceptors, which are embedded within specialised pits of the labial scales. Infrared signals are detected by these pits lined with thermoreceptors, which project to the cns via the trigeminal nerve and a specialised nucleus within the hindbrain (nucleus of the lateral descending trigeminal tract: nLTTD) to be relayed towards the midbrain and forebrain. The nLTTD is only found in infrared sensitive snakes. Aspidites sp. are the only members of the Pythoninae that do not possess labial pits. The lack of labial pits and thus the obvious lack of the infrared sense in Aspidites have been interpreted in the past either as a primitive character of this genus or as a secondarily loss due to the fact that these pythons feed on-cold blooded prey. We investigated a conspicuous U-shaped single pit located in the rostralia of Aspidites sp. which points downward in a resting specimen but clearly faces forward if the python raises its head. The rostral position and the overall shape of the pit allow frontal object localisation to be mediated by shadowing, where certain regions of the pit are differentially stimulated with regard to the position of objects in front of the animal. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has confirmed that the ultrastructure of the fundus of the pit resembles the fundus of labial pits in other pythons i.e. it possesses enlarged shingle like cells with micropits. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also reveals the presence of typical infrared thermoreceptors within the pit that are not found in other scales. Furthermore, the brain of Aspidites melanocephalus reveals a structure that can be regarded as a nLTTD. We propose that Aspidites clearly possesses an infrared sense and the unusual position of the single, downwardly-directed pit in the rostralia has evolved in response to its fossorial lifestyle i.e. to avoid damage to the pit from soil and debris. This arrangement is clearly different to the open labial pits of other pythons, which are directed laterally from the head. This work was partly supported by the Feodor-Lynen program of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. 
Type: oral contribution
Theme: reptiles, snakes, morphology
Entity: Westhoff: Institute of Zoology University of Bonn Poppelsdorfer Schloss 53115 Bonn, GERMANY e-mail: [email protected] Collin: Room A205 Ritchie Research Laboratories School of Biomedical Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane, Queensland 4072 Australia e-mail: [email protected]


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## -Peter (Aug 24, 2008)

Well done, I love it when science confirms what we have known for years.


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## callith (Aug 24, 2008)

very interesting and well done


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## alex_c (Aug 24, 2008)

It make's perfect sense because i have observed my bhp using the side of its head to dig in sand,so i guess having conventional heat pit's would be a risk of infection.It is great that somebody has finally put the effort in to confirm it.


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## PilbaraPythons (Aug 24, 2008)

I must point out that although I anounced by belief years ago and tried to interest various people to look at this pit over the years, I have had in no way any contact with the person who did this work and I do not want people to think that I had anything to do with it. I am just pleased that somebody actually proved it.


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## ad (Aug 24, 2008)

Hey Dave,
You might have given them a bit of an idea though?
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes/aspidites-major-new-discovery-23173

A thread from June 2004.
Cheers
Adam


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## krusty (Aug 24, 2008)

thats so cool dave,thanks for leting us know.


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## PilbaraPythons (Aug 24, 2008)

Its a pity that I couldn't get the West Australin museum interested in doing this work years ago, but no one seemed interested. Clearly some people took notice though , I recieved an e-mail yesterday from Dr Ian Stephen (Assistant Curator of Herpetology Londan Zoo) telling me about the result and pointing out that he also supported my belief after reading about it on my web site years ago. It just goes to show you who quietly reads and remembers some of Pilbara's ramblings.


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## FAY (Aug 24, 2008)

Thanks Dave for that fantastic information.


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