Tactile sensing in specialized predators - from behavior to the brain

A number of predators depend heavily on tactile cues for pursuing and capturing prey. Here I describe and discuss the whiskers of carnivorous grasshopper mice and shrews, the sensory rays of the star-nosed mole, and the tactile appendages of the tentacled snake. These diverse sensors are accompanied by remarkable corresponding specializations in the central nervous system. But understanding their function and the significance of the central nervous system correlates requires the careful documentation of behavior inherent to a neuroethological approach.

► Mechanosensation in grasshopper mice, shrews, star-nosed moles and tentacled snakes is reviewed. ► Diverse tactile organs (whiskers, rays, and tentacles) correspond to specializations in the CNS. ► Behaviors illuminate the relationship between mechanosensors and the brain.