Ecological predictors of lateral line asymmetry in stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas P. Planidin ◽  
Thomas E. Reimchen
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Line ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Ecological Predictors ◽  
Line Asymmetry

scholarly journals Behavioural responses of threespine stickleback with lateral line asymmetries to experimental mechanosensory stimuli

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. P. Planidin ◽  
T. E. Reimchen
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Line ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Sensory Receptor ◽  
Low Frequency Stimulation ◽  
Frequency Stimulation ◽  
Line Asymmetry ◽  
Prey Localization

Behavioural asymmetry, typically referred to as laterality, is widespread among bilaterians and is often associated with asymmetry in brain structure. However, the influence of sensory receptor asymmetry on laterality has undergone limited investigation. Here we use threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to investigate the influence of lateral line asymmetry on laterality during lab simulations of three mechanosensation-dependent behaviours: predator evasion, prey localization and rheotaxis. We recorded the response of stickleback to impacts at the water surface and water flow in photic conditions and low-frequency oscillations in the dark, across four repeat trials. We then compared individuals’ laterality to asymmetry in the number of neuromasts on either side of their body. Stickleback hovered with their right side against the arena wall 57% of the time (P<0.001) in illuminated surface impact trials and 56% of the time in (P=0.085) dark low-frequency stimulation trials. Light regime modulated the effect of neuromast count on laterality, as fish with more neuromasts were more likely to hover with the wall on their right during illumination (P=0.007) but were less likely to do so in darkness (P=0.025). Population level laterality diminished in later trials across multiple behaviours and individuals did not show a consistent side bias in any behaviours. Our results demonstrate a complex relationship between sensory structure asymmetry and laterality, suggesting that laterality is modulated multiple sensory modalities and temporally dynamic.

scholarly journals Diversity and sexual dimorphism in the head lateral line system in North Sea populations of threespine sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus (Teleostei: Gasterosteidae)

Zoomorphology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald Ahnelt ◽  
David Ramler ◽  
Maria Ø. Madsen ◽  
Lasse F. Jensen ◽  
Sonja Windhager
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
North Sea ◽  
Lateral Line ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Sensory System ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Lateral Line System ◽  
Line System ◽  
Marine Population ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks

AbstractThe mechanosensory lateral line of fishes is a flow sensing system and supports a number of behaviors, e.g. prey detection, schooling or position holding in water currents. Differences in the neuromast pattern of this sensory system reflect adaptation to divergent ecological constraints. The threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, is known for its ecological plasticity resulting in three major ecotypes, a marine type, a migrating anadromous type and a resident freshwater type. We provide the first comparative study of the pattern of the head lateral line system of North Sea populations representing these three ecotypes including a brackish spawning population. We found no distinct difference in the pattern of the head lateral line system between the three ecotypes but significant differences in neuromast numbers. The anadromous and the brackish populations had distinctly less neuromasts than their freshwater and marine conspecifics. This difference in neuromast number between marine and anadromous threespine stickleback points to differences in swimming behavior. We also found sexual dimorphism in neuromast number with males having more neuromasts than females in the anadromous, brackish and the freshwater populations. But no such dimorphism occurred in the marine population. Our results suggest that the head lateral line of the three ecotypes is under divergent hydrodynamic constraints. Additionally, sexual dimorphism points to divergent niche partitioning of males and females in the anadromous and freshwater but not in the marine populations. Our findings imply careful sampling as an important prerequisite to discern especially between anadromous and marine threespine sticklebacks.

Variation in the Sensory Space of Three-spined Stickleback Populations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert B Mobley ◽  
Janette W Boughman
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Line ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Sensory Ecology ◽  
Sensory Systems ◽  
Multiple Modalities ◽  
Sensory Modalities ◽  
Types Of Information ◽  
Olfactory Tissue ◽  
Peripheral Sensory

Synopsis The peripheral sensory systems, whose morphological attributes help determine the acquisition of distinct types of information, provide a means to quantitatively compare multiple modalities of a species’ sensory ecology. We used morphological metrics to characterize multiple sensory modalities—the visual, olfactory, and mechanosensory lateral line sensory systems—for Gasterosteus aculeatus, the three-spined stickleback, to compare how sensory systems vary in animals that evolve in different ecological conditions. We hypothesized that the dimensions of sensory organs and correlations among sensory systems vary in populations adapted to marine and freshwater environments, and have diverged further among freshwater lake-dwelling populations. Our results showed that among environments, fish differed in which senses are relatively elaborated or reduced. When controlling for body length, littoral fish had larger eyes, more neuromasts, and smaller olfactory tissue area than pelagic or marine populations. We also found differences in the direction and magnitude of correlations among sensory systems for populations even within the same habitat type. Our data suggest that populations take different trajectories in how visual, olfactory, and lateral line systems respond to their environment. For the populations we studied, sensory modalities do not conform in a predictable way to the ecological categories we assigned.

A Study on the Fine Structure of the Lateral Line Organ of the Sea Eel

1973 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 648-649
Author(s):  
K. Hama
Keyword(s):  
Fine Structure ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Lateral Line ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Sensory Cells ◽  
Apical Surface ◽  
Voltage Electron ◽  
Sensory Epithelia ◽  
Low Frequency Vibration ◽  
Transmission Electron

The lateral line organs of the sea eel consist of canal and pit organs which are different in function. The former is a low frequency vibration detector whereas the latter functions as an ion receptor as well as a mechano receptor.The fine structure of the sensory epithelia of both organs were studied by means of ordinary transmission electron microscope, high voltage electron microscope and of surface scanning electron microscope.The sensory cells of the canal organ are polarized in front-caudal direction and those of the pit organ are polarized in dorso-ventral direction. The sensory epithelia of both organs have thinner surface coats compared to the surrounding ordinary epithelial cells, which have very thick fuzzy coatings on the apical surface.

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Fish Scales as an Adjunctive Aid in Speciation

1972 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 394-395
Author(s):  
Edward D. DeLamater ◽  
Walter R. Courtenay ◽  
Cecil Whitaker
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Lateral Line ◽  
Species Differences ◽  
Fish Scale ◽  
Fish Scales ◽  
Anterior Border ◽  
The University ◽  
Multiple Holes ◽  
Scanning Electron

Comparative scanning electron microscopy studies of fish scales of different orders, families, genera and species within genera have demonstrated differences which warrant elaboration. These differences in detail appear to be sufficient to act as “fingerprints”, at least, for family differences. To date, the lateral line scales have been primarily studied. These demonstrate differences in the lateral line canals; the pattern of ridging with or without secondary protuberances along the edges; the pattern of spines or their absence on the anterior border of the scales; the presence or absence of single or multiple holes on the ventral and dorsal sides of the lateral line canal covers. The distances between the ridges in the pattern appear likewise to be important.A statement of fish scale structure and a comparison of family and species differences will be presented.The authors wish to thank Dr. Donald Marzalek and Mr. Wallace Charm of the Marine and Atmospheric Laboratory of the University of Miami and Dr. Sheldon Moll and Dr. Richard Turnage of AMR for their exhaustive help in these preliminary studies.

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