Back Reflex flehmen Catalan Flémování Czech Flehmen German Αντίδραση φλέμεν Greek Reflejo de Flehmen Spanish Flehmen erreflexu Basque واکنش فلیمن Persian Flehmen-reaktio Finnish Flehmen French תגובת פלהמן HE
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Flehmen response in a horse -
Flehmen response in a Sumatran tiger -
Flehmen response in a tapir -
Flehmen response in an elk -
Flehmen response in a goat -
Flehmen response in a zebra
The flehmen response (/ˈfleɪmən/; from German flehmen, to bare the upper teeth, and Upper Saxon German flemmen, to look spiteful), also called the flehmen position, flehmen reaction, flehmen grimace, flehming, or flehmening, is a behavior in which an animal curls back its upper lip exposing its front teeth, inhales with the nostrils usually closed, and then often holds this position for several seconds.[1] It may be performed over a sight or substance of particular interest to the animal, or may be performed with the neck stretched and the head held high in the air.
Flehmen is performed by a wide range of mammals, including ungulates and felids.[1] The behavior facilitates the transfer of pheromones and other scents into the vomeronasal organ (VNO, or Jacobson's organ) located above the roof of the mouth via a duct which exits just behind the front teeth of the animal.