Hearing, touch, taste, etc.

water is 83x denser than air sound travels 4.5x faster in water

- not rapidly attenuated; difficult to localizelow frequencies propagate better, faster

Sound transmission in water

water is 100x denser than air sound travels 4.5x faster in water

- not rapidly attenuated; difficult to localizelow frequencies propagate better, faster

sound: small vibrations with particle displacement near source- “near field” (a few meters)sound pressure component – “far field”

Sound transmission in water

Hearing and lateral line (acoustico-lateralis system)

Ears - sound reception in near field - acceleration, equilibriumdetects pressure waves

Lateral line – sound reception in far field - "distant touch"detects particle displacement

Lateral line system

superficial (free) neuromasts on body surface, or in shallow pits or grooves

canal neuromasts in lateral line

Perciformes, Centrarchidae: black crappie

Perciformes, Moronidae: white perch

superficial neuromast

superficial neuromast

canal neuromasts

Lateral line system

location and type of neuromasts optimized for particular prey, environment, etc.

Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae: golden shiner

Science, 27 July 2012, p. 409

Ears

equilibrium and balance:three semicircular canals detect roll, yaw, pitchalso acceleration

Ears

equilibrium and balance:three semicircular canals detect roll, yaw, pitchalso acceleration

semicircular canals

utriculus(lapillus)

pars superior(balance, acceleration)

Ears

sound receptionfish vibrates with sounds in water otoliths vibrate slower, impinge on sensory cilia

semicircular canals

utriculus(lapillus) lagena

(astericus)

sacculus(sagitta)

pars superior(balance, acceleration)

pars inferior(hearing)

Left and right ears of a deep-sea cod. Xiaohong Deng, Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland. http://www.life.umd.edu/biology/popperlab/research/deepsea.htm.

Sagittal otolith

Ears

Otoliths

Fish hearing is limited to lower frequency range, limited sensitivity to high frequencies

How can hearing sensitivity be improved?

Ears

hearing sensitivity improved with1. Weberian apparatus – derived from vertebral bones

connects air bladder with ear labyrinthpresent in ostariophysan fishes

(Cypriniformes, Characiformes, Siluriformes)

gives wide range of hearing (20-7000 Hz)

Ears

hearing sensitivity improved with1. Weberian apparatus

connects air bladder with ear labyrinthpresent in ostariophysan fishesgives wide range of hearing (20-7000 Hz)

2. direct connection of swim bladder and ear squirrelfishes (Holocentridae)herrings etc. (Clupeidae)

Ears

hearing sensitivity improved with1. Weberian apparatus

connects air bladder with ear labyrinthpresent in ostariophysan fishesgives wide range of hearing (20-7000 Hz)

2. direct connection of swim bladder and ear 3. airbreathers maintain bubble in superbranchial cavity,

near to ear

Sound production

homepage.univie.ac.at/friedrich.ladich/Topics.htm

http://www.fishecology.org/soniferous/waquoitposter.htm

Sound production

stridulation due to friction- grinding of teeth- movement of fin spine in socket, etc.

(catfish, triggerfish, filefish, sticklebacks)

Sound production

stridulation due to friction- grinding of teeth- movement of fin spine in socket, etc.

(catfish, triggerfish, filefish, sticklebacks)

via gas bladder- release of air

Sound production

stridulation due to friction- grinding of teeth- movement of fin spine in socket, etc.

(catfish, triggerfish, filefish, sticklebacks)

via gas bladder- release of air - vibration of muscles (toadfishes, Batrachoididae; searobins, Triglidae; drum, Sciaenidae)

Perciformes, Sciaenidae – freshwater drum)

Sound production

stridulation due to friction- grinding of teeth- movement of fin spine in socket, etc.

(catfish, triggerfish, filefish, sticklebacks)

via gas bladder- release of air - vibration of muscles

incidental to other behaviors- swimming and muscular motion- breaking surface and splashing- feeding, e.g., coral and crustacean-feeders- production of bubbles

Sound production

Problems associated with human sound productionboat motorssonardredging, constructionnaval activities

Graham A L, Cooke S J. 2008 The effects of noise disturbance from various recreational boating activities common to inland waters on the cardiac physiology of a freshwater fish, the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) Aquatic Conservation - Marine And Freshwater Ecosystems 18: 1315-1324   

 heart rate and stroke volume responded to canoe paddling, trolling motor, and outboard motor: canoe < trolling motor < outboard time to recover:

canoe ~15 min, trolling motor ~ 25 min, outboard ~ 40 min

concluded that boating activities can have ecological and environmental consequences

Taste and smell:•communication

•individual recognition, especially of mates

•species recognition, esp. schooling species

•offspring recognition (cichlids)

•scent mark territories (gobies)

•dominant-subordinate relationships

•aggression-inhibiting pheromone produced by bullheads

living in groups

Olfaction (= chemoreception at "long" range/gradients)

more sensitive than tasteused for:

food findingmigration, e.g., salmonintra, interspecific communication

Olfaction (= chemoreception at "long" range/gradients)

more sensitive than tasteused for:

food findingmigration, e.g., salmonintra, interspecific communication

semiochemical – chemical used for communicationpheromone – elicits social response in same specieskairomone – benefits receiver, not emitter – between species

e.g., food, scent, necromone

Olfaction (= chemoreception at "long" range/gradients)

“Schreckstoff” alarm pheromones (Ostariophysi)

Olfaction (= chemoreception at "long" range/gradients)

“Schreckstoff” alarm pheromones (Ostariophysi)originate in specialized ‘club’ cells in skin,

released when fish is damagedeffect is to alert other conspecifics

potenthighly specific (generally species-specific)pass through gut of northern pike

Taste (= chemoreception at close range)

taste organs can reside on exterior surfaces:barbels of bottom-dwelling fisheslips of suckersover much of body of ictalurids

Other cutaneous senses

touchfew detectors – shark fins; head, barbels of bullheadsmating behaviors (use of breeding tubercules)parent-young communication in catfish, cichlids,

damselfishes

Other cutaneous senses

temperatureteleost cutaneous temp. sensitivity to 0.03C changecan distinguish rise from a fall in temperatureelasmobranchs detect temperature change with

ampullae of Lorenzini

Electrogeneration and electroreception

Production of electricity

muscular contractions generate electrical signal‘stack’ specialized cells (electrocytes) to amplify signal(in series) with insulating material around them

Production of electricity

Types of electricity produced:strong current - for stunning prey or escaping predators10 to several hundred voltsin ‘volleys’ of discharges

Production of electricity

Types of electricity produced:strong current - for stunning prey or escaping predatorsweak current - for electrolocation

- conspecifics in school, - preyemit continuous signal; objects entering field are

detected by distortion of fielddischarge 200 - 1600 cycles/sec

Production of electricity

used by most elasmobranches, some teleosts

Osteoglossiformes (Mormyridae) - African electric fishes

Rajiiformes (Rajiidae) – electric skates

Gymnotiformes (Gymnotidae) – electric eels

Siluriformes (Malapteruridae) - electric catfish

Perciformes (Uranoscopidae) - stargazers

Torpediniformes (4 families) – electric rays

(Gymnarchidae)

strong-electric fishes weak-electric fishes

Production of electricity

electricity-producing fishes tend to beslow-moving, sedentaryactive at night, or in murky water w. low visibilityhave thick skin: good insulatoremhance signal-to-noise ratio with stiffened body

Electroreception

types of signals receivedmovement through earth’s magnetic fieldcurrent from muscular activity of other fish (prey)signals produced by conspecifics

frequency shifts identify individuals

Electroreception

detection via external pit organs ampullae of Lorenzini in elasmobranchesopen to surrounding water via canals, filled w. conductive gelsensitive to

temperature changemechanical and weak electrical stimulichanges in salinity