Recently American zoologists managed to figure out how female crocodiles can move in to graze their eggs or young, not causing them the trauma of their teeth. It appears, on the face of these reptiles have special receptors capable of extremely finely adjust the pressure of the jaws. In the world of animals are the most sensitive organs of touch.

Crocodiles - a very paradoxical animals. Take their deadly jaws - according to research by Australian scientists, bite force estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is about 16480 Newtons (for comparison - the lion bites only with the power 4450 Newtons). With such strength bite that reptile nothing to eat iron bar. And at the same time to protect themselves from the bite of a crocodile, it is enough to roll him jaw ordinary Scotch - so do many photographers, offering the audience to take a photograph of this terrible and at the same time beautiful creature.

Why is this happening? But because the data reptiles have powerful muscles that close the jaw, but here's "rasimelli" they have a very weak. So in order to protect themselves from the bite, just strongly with both hands to squeeze her jaw and crocodile in a literal sense't open your mouth can (the author of these lines was not just applied a similar technique when working with crocodiles). The complexity. the truth is that none crocodile not going to tolerate this - it winds all over, try to slip that he most likely will fail, because, alas, not all the muscles of his body weak as those that open their mouth.

However, scientists until recently it was not clear how the females of many species of crocodiles can carry their eggs or babies right in the mouth, causing them the slightest concern. Specifically, they were interested, what determines the strength of the pressure of muscles gripping jaws data reptiles? Supposed to be some receptors responsible for it, but until recently there at the mouth of the crocodile not found.

And here the American zoologist Ken Catania from Vanderbilt University and his colleagues decided to deal with this difficult issue. Attention was attracted little "warts"which is dotted with the muzzle of a crocodile. First, it was assumed that they function as a kind of camouflage, masking the animal, however, 2002 was proven that these "warts" can react to even the slightest fluctuations in water - even on plain ripple.

After a series of studies, zoologists have found that within each "warts" has the nerve endings mean, they really are receptors. Neurophysiological experiments have shown that these receptors react to pressure and vibration. Interestingly, some of them turned out to be configured to fluctuations in the range of 20-35 Hz that really allows them to feel small ripples. Others are able to grasp such a small pressure that is unable to feel even the sensitive tips of the fingers of a man.

These "warts" are located at the mouth right near deadly teeth. That is, it is their job allows females very fine-tune the compression force of their jaws when they carry young or eggs. Thanks to this ability the little crocodile do not feel any pressure. Interestingly, even the cats are known for their caution when dragging offspring, clench their teeth stronger.

The same receptors that are configured to even the slightest fluctuations in water, helped by zoologists to solve another mystery. Until recently, scientists did not understand how the crocodile can locate prey in a rather murky waters of tropical rivers. It has long been known that see these reptiles are not particularly well, and the smell was not thin. It has now become clear that "warts" on the face and allow them to immediately calculate the location of a potential victim - after all, who swims, necessarily cause fluctuation of water mass. Therefore, we can safely say that crocodile thanks to its mechanoreceptors can even hear how floating fish.

According to Mr. Catania, discovered by him and his colleagues mechanoreceptors are the most sensitive tactile organs throughout the animal Kingdom. Alas, even the finger pads in primates and insect antennae can't compare with them the ability to catch the smallest fluctuations. By the way, perhaps, they can prevent crocodiles and about the danger of earthquakes ago it was established that these reptiles leave dangerous place before the disaster among the first.

Unfortunately, these same unique mechanoreceptors played with crocodiles cruel joke. The thing is that the more spots on the skin of a crocodile, so it is more beautiful, and it means at the very spotty reptiles much more likely to end my days in the shape of the handbag or purse. Accordingly, extracting raw materials for such articles, poachers in the first place to destroy the most "sensitive" crocodiles...