Fig. 8

Development of the cupola Jacobsoni and its relation to the vomeronasal nerve in the grass snake. 3D reconstruction (a, b, d, e, g, h) of the cupola Jacobsoni (the colours: the lacrimal duct (orange), vomeronasal organ (blue), vestige of the choanal groove (green), cartilage (purple), vomer (bright red), and septomaxilla (dark red)) and the transverse section at the level of the vomeronasal nerve. a The dorsolateral aspect at the end of developmental stage VI. b A dorsal view of the bony passage for the vomeronasal nerve at developmental stage VI. c Developmental stage VI. d The dorsolateral aspect at developmental stage VIII. The star indicates the separate part of the vomer. e A dorsal view of the bony passage for the vomeronasal nerve at developmental stage VIII. f Developmental stage VIII. g The dorsolateral aspect at developmental stage XI. The septomaxillary-vomerine overlapping is indicated by dashed line. h A dorsal view of the bony passage for the vomeronasal nerve at developmental stage XI. i Developmental stage XI. Abbreviations: A anterior, BP bony passage for the vomeronasal nerve, DM dorsomedial, DPS dorsal process of the septomaxilla, FV foramen of the vomerine vertical plate, L lateral, M medial, MNC main nasal cavity; NS nasal septum, NVN vomeronasal nerve, OB olfactory bulb, P posterior, PPS posterior process of the septomaxilla, SC septomaxillary condyle SMX septomaxilla, VL ventrolateral, VOM vomer, VNO vomeronasal organ. Scale bars 100 μm. 3D reconstructions are not scaled