Influence of Photoperiod on the Behavioral Response to Olfactory Stimulation in the Snail Helix pomatia L.

M. VOSS, C. BÜCHERT, C. MISSFELDER

Institute of Zoology, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany

Received January 22, 2001
Accepted June 7, 2001

Summary
An ethanol vapor concentration of 1.6 mmol/l was used to test the diurnal variations of the olfactory response in two groups of snails, which were adapted to different light-dark cycles. The results revealed that the olfactory sensitivity to stimulation with ethanol was significantly increased during the day-time, which corresponds to the scotophase of the light-dark cycle, to which the animals had been adapted (c2-test, P < 0.01).

Key words
Obesity · Diabetes mellitus · Serum lipids · Blood pressure

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M. Voss, Institute of Zoology, University of Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40-60, D-24098 Kiel, Germany. Telephone: (0431) 880-4196; Fax: (0431) 880-4197; e-mail: mvoss@zoologie.uni-kiel.de