Predator/Yautja - Concept - Scent

Yautja do not have noses in the traditional sense, but they are able to pick up scent and other smells from their surroundings just as acutely. Similar to some reptiles, amphibians, and even some mammals, in lieu of a nose they may have something similar to a Jacobson’s organ, also called vomeronasal organ.

This is an organ of chemoreception that is part of the olfactory system in many animals. It is a patch of sensory cells within the main nasal chamber that detects heavy moisture-borne odour particles. Knowing that yautja use musk as a communication aide (aggression, mood, lust/estrus, health and other chemical factors), as well as to track prey or avoid danger, the ability to pick up these scents accurately and quickly is essential.

I believe the best location for this organ is right under their upper mandibles, the fleshiest part of the connection to the sides of the upper jaw. Scent particles are best picked up in a moist environment.

When a yautja needs to take a deep whiff of their surroundings, they pull up their upper mandibles to better pick up chemical particles in the air - similar to how horses curl up their upper lip to better sniff (this is called “flehmen”). This means that a yautja flaring up their mandibles is not always a sign of aggression, they may just be sniffing around!