Do related, differently sized species differ in size-related structural or functional traits merely because they mature at different points of a uniform allometric ontogenetic growth curve, or do they evolutionarily diverge? We tested ears of gekkotan lizards through experiments distinguishing the two. Auditory sensitivity was assessed by compound action potential (CAP) thresholds in eight species. The best thresholds characterizing species ranged 22-72 dB sound pressure level at 0.5-1.0 kHz. Direct acoustic stimulation of the columella footplate elevated thresholds by 25-50 dB. Intraspecific CAP sensitivity was primarily affected by body length in Eublepharis macularius, but by tympanic-membrane velocity in Oedura marmorata. The chief factor determining middle-ear function (difference in CAP sensitivity before and after middle-ear ablation) was body length in both species. A secondary factor was the middle-ear hydraulic lever ratio in E. macularius, but the mechanical lever in O. marmorata. When intra- and interspecific data were compared, the relation of CAP thresholds to body size in E. macularius resembled the interspecific regression. The intraspecific regression of auditory sensitivity over tympanic membrane velocity in O. marmorata differed from that calculated interspecifically. Hence, the evolutionary contribution to size effects on CAP sensitivity exceeds the ontogenetic contribution. Putatively, body length affects CAP sensitivity through absolute sizes of tympanic membrane and columella footplate. These newly discovered effects join those of the hydraulic lever and (interspecifically) hair-cell number to improve the hearing of larger species that vocally communicate across wider spaces, apparently throughout the Tetrapoda.

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Gekkonoid lizards increase in body size throughout life, and the present study investigates whether changes in auditory function accompany these increases. Middle-ear structures in four groups of animals, adults and juveniles of two gekkonoid species (Eublepharis macularius and Oedura marmorata), were examined. Tympanic membrane velocity and phase were also measured in all four groups. An indication of peripheral auditory function was obtained for each group by measuring compound action potentials (CAPs) from the round window membrane. The middle-ear contribution to CAP thresholds was obtained by comparing threshold levels of the CAP response with and without an intact middle-ear system. The results from these studies indicated that significant changes occurred in middle-ear structure, tympanic membrane velocity and CAP threshold between the younger and older animals. In addition, the adults of both species exhibited better auditory function when the acoustic stimulus was delivered to the tympanic membrane than when it was delivered to the columella footplate. The findings show clearly that increased body size (or age) is accompanied by functional changes in the auditory periphery.