Abstract
The present work was aimed to study the anterior cranial nerves which innervate the olfactory apparatus of Uromastyx aegyptius. The olfactory apparatus of Uromastyx aegyptius includes the main olfactory organ and the vomeronasal organ or organ of Jacobson. The main olfactory organ is innervated by the olfactory nerve which arises from the sensory olfactory epithelium and leaves the capsular cavity through a separate foramen, i.e., there is no foramen olfactorium advehens. The vomeronasal organ is innervated by two nerves: the terminal and the vomeronasal nerves. They arise from the sensory epithelium in combination. The terminal nerve carries a terminal ganglion. The nervi terminalis and vomeronasalis combined together as one separate nerve which leaves the cavity of the nasal capsule together with few bundles of the olfactory nerves through a special foramen. The nervi terminalis, vomeronasalis and olfactorius enter the cranial cavity through a large foramen olfactorium evehens and they connect separately the anterior part of the brain. The vomeronasal nerve enters the accessory olfactory bulb (vomeronasal formation) of the fore brain. The nervus olfactorius enters the main olfactory bulb whereas the terminal nerve connects the anterior end of the olfactory lobe. The olfactory bulb has a long olfactory peduncle. The three nerves carry pure special somatic sensory fibres. [Dakrory, A.I.; Issa, A.Z. and Ali, R. S Nervi Terminalis, Vomeronasalis and Olfactorius of Uromastyx aegyptius (Squamata - Lacertilia - Agamidae) Life Science Journal,. 2011; 8(4):900-907] (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com.