Morphology and distribution of the ampullary electroreceptors in wobbegong sharks: implications for feeding behaviour

Theiss, Susan M.; Collin, Shaun P.; Hart, Nathan S.

doi:10.1007/s00227-010-1595-1

Cited by 26 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…In modern elasmobranchs, the number of alveoli per ampulla is related to the habitat depth: the deeper the habitat is, the more numerous are the alveoli (Raschi 1986). The relatively low number of alveoli (five, occasionally four or six) per ampulla found in "C." amonensis is similar to what is commonly observed in elasmobranchs living in shallow marine and estuarine environments (Whitehead 2002;Theiss et al 2011;CamilieriAsch et al 2013). This is consistent with the coastal marine and brackish water habitats of "C." amonensis (Néraudeau et al 2003;Cavin et al 2010;Kitamura 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

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Denticle-embedded ampullary organs in a Cretaceous shark provide unique insight into the evolution of elasmobranch electroreceptors

Vullo

Guinot

2015

Sci Nat

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Here, we report a novel type of dermal denticle (or placoid scale), unknown among both living and fossil chondrichthyan fishes, in a Cretaceous lamniform shark. By their morphology and location, these dermal denticles, grouped into clusters in the cephalic region, appear to have been directly associated with the electrosensory ampullary system. These denticles have a relatively enlarged (∼350 μm in diameter), ornamented crown with a small (∼100 μm) asterisk- or cross-shaped central perforation connected to a multi-alveolate internal cavity. The formation of such a complex structure can be explained by the annular coalescence and fusion, around an ampullary vesicle, of several developmental units still at papillary stage (i.e. before mineralization), leading to a single denticle embedding an alveolar ampulla devoid of canal. This differs from larger typical ampullae of Lorenzini with a well-developed canal opening in a pore of the skin and may represent another adaptive response to low skin resistance. Since it has been recently demonstrated that ampullary organs arise from lateral line placodes in chondrichthyans, this highly specialized type of dermal denticle (most likely non-deciduous) may be derived from the modified placoid scales covering the superficial neuromasts (pit organs) of the mechanosensory lateral line system of many modern sharks.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…3). In cross section, the internal cavity of these denticles shows the typical radially arranged alveolar chambers of the ampullae of Lorenzini (Whitehead 2002;Theiss et al 2011;Whitehead et al 2015) ( Fig. 2).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Denticle-embedded ampullary organs in a Cretaceous shark provide unique insight into the evolution of elasmobranch electroreceptors

Vullo

Guinot

2015

Sci Nat

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“…The low number of ventral pores is comparable to species from the family Orectolobidae, which share a similar dorso-ventrally compressed body morphology to squatinids, and is likely related to the ambush predatory strategy that members of both families employ (Theiss et al, 2011). The concurrent low number of dorsal pores, however, is not typically seen and may suggest that the electrosensory system may not be of relative importance to these species, compared to other sensory systems such as vision (Fouts & Nelson, 1999).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Lost and found: recovery of the holotype of the ocellated angelshark, Squatina tergocellatoides Chen, 1963 (Squatinidae), with comments on western Pacific squatinids

Theiss¹,

Ebert

2013

Zootaxa

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The ocellated angelshark, Squatina tergocellatoides, Chen, 1963 is redescribed from the holotype, which was thought to be lost. Its recent recovery has allowed for a revised description, including new data, and comparison to other Western Pacific squatinids. Squatina tergocellatoides can be distinguished from its congeners by three pairs of prominent large black spots, each with a diameter greater than eye length; two on each pectoral fin at anterior and posterior angles and one on each side near the tail base; another three pairs of lesser defined spots, one large spot on base of each dorsal fin and one located laterally on each side of tail located below first dorsal fin. Ventral surface is uniformly white to cream coloured, and margins of pectoral fins and tail similar in colour to dorsal side. Pectoral fins with angular lateral apices and rounded posterior lobe, pelvic fin tips not reaching origin of first dorsal fin, strongly fringed nasal barbels, small inter-orbital space, head and mouth lengths, broad internarial width and pelvic fin base, a very small pelvic girdle width, and a caudal fin with triangular ventral lobe greater in length than dorsal lobe. Comments on additional specimens are provided, as well as observations on biogeography. A review of western Pacific squatinids is also provided.

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“…For instance, the small isolated clusterings of mandibular ampullary canals associated with the lower jaws of chondrichthyan fishes619203033 might serve this function. These groups of electroreceptors may help optimize the efficiency of aquatic predatory strikes by informing the predator precisely when to open its mouth to draw in prey.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The coelacanth rostral organ is a unique low-resolution electro-detector that facilitates the feeding strike

Berquist

Galinsky

Kajiura

et al. 2015

Sci Rep

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The cartilaginous and non-neopterygian bony fishes have an electric sense typically comprised of hundreds or thousands of sensory canals distributed in broad clusters over the head. This morphology facilitates neural encoding of local electric field intensity, orientation, and polarity, used for determining the position of nearby prey. The coelacanth rostral organ electric sense, however, is unique in having only three paired sensory canals with distribution restricted to the dorsal snout, raising questions about its function. To address this, we employed magnetic resonance imaging methods to map electrosensory canal morphology in the extant coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae, and a simple dipole ‘rabbit ears' antennae model with toroidal gain function to approximate their directional sensitivity. This identified a unique focal region of electrosensitivity directly in front of the mouth, and is the first evidence of a low-resolution electro-detector that solely facilitates prey ingestion.

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Morphology and distribution of the ampullary electroreceptors in wobbegong sharks: implications for feeding behaviour

Cited by 26 publications

References 58 publications

Denticle-embedded ampullary organs in a Cretaceous shark provide unique insight into the evolution of elasmobranch electroreceptors

Denticle-embedded ampullary organs in a Cretaceous shark provide unique insight into the evolution of elasmobranch electroreceptors

Lost and found: recovery of the holotype of the ocellated angelshark, Squatina tergocellatoides Chen, 1963 (Squatinidae), with comments on western Pacific squatinids

The coelacanth rostral organ is a unique low-resolution electro-detector that facilitates the feeding strike

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