Dermal sense organs and their significance in the feeding behaviour of the common sole Solea vulgaris

Abstract

Light and electron microscopic studies on dermal sense organs of the sole Solea vulgaris Quensel, 1806 reveal that the sensory buds -located in large numbers between the papillae, mainly on the abocular side of the fish -are certainly free neuromasts. It is suggested that these papillae serve as protectors for the sensitive neuromasts rather than as sensory organs. They may improve the perception function of the neuromasts for mechanical stimuli. Taste buds, in different distributions, were found only in oral cavity, pharynx, on gill rakers, and on lips. The lateral line system, though partly asymmetrical, is highly developed on both the ocular and abocular sides of the fish. The nasal sac of the abocular side is smaller in size and contains fewer lamellae than that of the ocular side of the fish. Ocular and abocular nasal sacs are connected via an accessory sac. Results indicate the significance of mechanoreceptors for the feeding behaviour of post-metamorphosed sole which are known to feed most actively at night and until now have been thought to detect food primarily by means of chemoreception.

Spatial Distribution and Morphological Characteristics of the Trunk Lateral Line Neuromasts of the Sea Bass (<i>Dicentrarchus labrax</i>, L.; Teleostei, Serranidae)

“…Due to the partial overlap of the scales the infrascalar pore was positioned just above the suprascalar pore of the canal segment of the subsequent scale. This contrasts with several reports that indicate that in most teleosts the canal segment is generally directly connected to the external medium by one or two pores, or by tubules which allow water flow within the canal segment [Flock, 1965;Münz, 1979;Appelbaum and Schemmel, 1983;Webb, 1990;Harvey et al, 1992;Kroese and Schellart, 1992]. This suggests that in the sea bass water entry within the canal segment might be greatly reduced.…”

Diversity of Brain Morphology in Teleosts: Brain and Ecological Niche

“…Such an asymmetrical brain was also reported in the flatfish by Prasada Rao and Finger [1984]. According to Appelbaum and Schemmel [1983], the nostril of the abocular side is smaller in size and contains fewer lamellae on which olfactory receptor cells are distributed, than that of ocular side in a sole (Solea vulgaris) . In addition, they reported some specific adaptation for directing water flow over free neuromasts on the abocular side, and insisted that free neuromasts, which are distributed in large numbers mainly on the abocular side, are significant for the detection of food.…”

Morphology and histochemistry of the peripheral olfactory organ in the round goby, Neogobius melanostomus (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

“…Two exceptions are Trichinus vipera and Scomber scombrus, with a single accessory nasal sac (Burne, 1909). Fish in the order Pleuronectiformes contain a fused pair (Kyle, 1899;Burne, 1909;Chabanaud, 1927;Applebaum and Schemmel, 1983;Liermann, 1933;Webb, 1993) or single accessory nasal sacs (Webb, 1993). The accessory nasal sacs in the round goby are round in shape and comprise half the length of the olfactory tube, as are those of another perciform, Thynnus thunnina (Sinha and Sinha, 1990), and the Pleuronectidae (Webb, 1993).…”

“…In cyclosomates, ciliary beating and accessory sac ventilation likely have a cooperative role for moving odorant molecules over the olfactory epithelium. Cyclosomate teleosts have either one or two accessory nasal sacs that may either be linked or fused, such as those observed in Pleuronectiformes (Kyle, 1899;Burne, 1909;Chabanaud, 1927;Leirmann, 1933;Kleerekoper, 1969;Applebaum and Schemmel, 1983;Webb, 1993) or distinct, separate structures such as those found in many of the Perciformes (Burne, 1909;Sinha and Sinha, 1990). Species in two families of Perciformes, Trachinidae and Scombridae, contain single accessory nasal sacs (Burne, 1909).…”