草原沙蜥鳞片结构及皮肤感受器扫描电镜研究

oad-headed lizards of the Phrynocephalus frontalis are the dominant and endemic reptiles in the desert of northern China, the difference in scale structures and density of SSOs of P. frontalis have been described poorly. To overcome this, we studied the scale structure and density of SSOs in the integument of P. frontalis by scanning electron microscopy. We found that the structure of scales varies by location of the scale. Maximal number of SSOs per scale is found on the infralabials. The highest mean density of SSOs is located on the ventral caudals, and the lowest is encountered on the middle dorsals. The function of SSOs of P. frontalis was suggested to be mechanoreceptive and was sensible to vibration on basis of them morphology and distribution.