The effects of source distance and orientation on lateral line stimulation patterns and source localization by Lake Michigan mottled sculpin

2006 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. 3326-3326
Author(s):  
Sheryl Coombs ◽  
Paul Patton
Keyword(s):  
Source Localization ◽  
Lateral Line ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Source Distance ◽  
Mottled Sculpin

scholarly journals Hydrodynamic image formation by the peripheral lateral line system of the Lake Michigan mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdi

2000 ◽  
Vol 355 (1401) ◽  
pp. 1111-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheryl Coombs ◽  
James J. Finneran ◽  
Ruth A. Conley
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Line ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Prey Capture ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Computational Modelling ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Lateral Line System ◽  
Line System ◽  
Cottus Bairdi ◽  
Mottled Sculpin

Lake Michigan mottled sculpin ( Cottus bairdi ) have a lateral–line–mediated prey–capture behaviour that consists of an initial orientation towards the prey, a sequence of approach movements, and a final strike at the prey. This unconditioned behaviour can be elicited from blinded sculpin in the laboratory by both real and artificial (vibrating sphere) prey. In order to visualize what Lake Michigan mottled sculpin might perceive through their lateral line when approaching prey, we have combined anatomical, neurophysiological, behavioural and computational modelling techniques to produce three–dimensional maps of how excitation patterns along the lateral line sensory surface change as sculpin approach a vibrating sphere. Changes in the excitation patterns and the information they contain about source location are consistent with behavioural performance, including the approach pathways taken by sculpin to the sphere, the maximum distances at which approaches can be elicited, distances from which strikes are launched, and strike success. Information content is generally higher for laterally located sources than for frontally located sources and this may explain exceptional performance (e.g. successful strikes from unusually long distances) in response to lateral sources and poor performance (e.g. unsuccessful strikes) to frontal sources.

The orienting response of Lake Michigan mottled sculpin is mediated by canal neuromasts

2001 ◽  
Vol 204 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Coombs ◽  
C.B. Braun ◽  
B. Donovan
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Cell Damage ◽  
Aminoglycoside Antibiotic ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Orienting Response ◽  
Sensory Epithelium ◽  
Live Prey ◽  
Mottled Sculpin ◽  
Pre Treatment

Lake Michigan mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdi, exhibit a naturally occurring and unconditioned orienting response that can be triggered by both live prey and chemically inert vibrating spheres, even in blinded animals. CoCl(2)-induced reductions of the orienting response demonstrate that the lateral line is required for this behavior in the absence of non-mechanosensory cues (such as vision), but shed no light on the relative contributions of superficial and canal neuromasts to this behavior. To determine the relative roles of these two subsystems, we measured the frequency with which mottled sculpin oriented towards a small vibrating sphere before and after two treatments: (i) immersion of fish in a solution of gentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic that damages hair cells in canal, but not superficial, neuromasts; and (ii) scraping the skin of the fish, which damages the superficial, but not the canal, neuromasts. To ensure that both superficial and canal neuromasts were adequately stimulated, we tested at different vibration frequencies (10 and 50 Hz) near or at the best frequency for each type of neuromast. At both test frequencies, response rates before treatment were greater than 70 % and were significantly greater than ‘spontaneous’ response frequencies measured in the absence of sphere vibration. Response rates fell to spontaneous levels after 1 day of gentamicin treatment and did not return to pre-treatment levels for 10–15 days. In contrast, response rates stayed approximately the same after superficial neuromasts had been damaged by skin abrasion. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed hair cell damage (loss of apical cilia) in canal, but not superficial, neuromasts of gentamicin-treated animals after as little as 24 h of treatment. The sensory epithelium of canal neuromasts gradually returned to normal, following a time course similar to behavioral loss and recovery of the orienting response, whereas that of superficial neuromasts appeared normal throughout the entire period. This study shows that the orienting response of the mottled sculpin is mediated by canal neuromasts.

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