Olfactory sensitivity of coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum): can salinity play a role?

The importance of environmental ions to olfactory sensitivity in fish has not been clarified by electrophysiological experiments. We tested the ability of juvenile coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum), to detect L‐serine after acclimation to either fresh water or sea water. The olfactory threshold was identical in the two waters, indicating that the sensitivity of olfaction was not affected by ionic content of the solutions bathing the sensory tissue.