The evolution of electroreception and bioelectrogenesis in teleost fish: a phylogenetic perspective

Abstract

According to current phylogenetic theory, both electroreceptors and electric organs evolved multiple times throughout the evolution of teleosts. Two basic types of electroreceptors have been described: ampullary and tuberous electroreceptors. Ampullary-type electroreceptors appeared once in the common ancestor of the Siluriformes+Gymnotiformes (within the superorder Ostariophysi), and on two other occasions within the superorder Osteoglossomorpha: in the African Mormyriformes and in the African Notopteriformes. Tuberous receptors are assumed to have evolved three times; all within groups that already possessed ampullary receptors. With the exception of a single catfish species, for which studies are still lacking, all fish with tuberous electroreceptors also have an electric organ. Tuberous electroreceptors are found in the two unrelated electrogenic teleost lineages (orders Gymnotiformes and Mormyriformes) and in one non-electrogenic South American catfish species (order Siluriformes). Electric organs evolved eight times independently among teleosts: five of them among the ostariophysans (once in the gymnotiform ancestor and in four siluriform lineages), once in the common ancestor of Mormyriformes, and in two uranoscopids. With the exception of two uranoscopid genera, for which no electroreceptive capabilities have been discovered so far, all electric organs evolved as an extension of a pre-existing electroreceptive (ampullary) condition. It is suggested that plesiomorphic electric organ discharges (EODs) possessed a frequency spectrum that fully transgressed the tuning curve of ampullary receptors, i.e. a signal such as a long lasting monophasic pulse. Complex EOD waveforms appeared as a derived condition among electric fish. EODs are under constant evolutionary pressure to develop an ideal compromise between a function that enhances electrolocation and electrocommunication capabilities, and thereby ensures species identity through sexual and behavioural segregation, and minimizes the risk of predation. 2001 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

Evolution of electrosensory ampullary organs: conservation of Eya4 expression during lateral line development in jawed vertebrates

“…Within the lobe-finned fish clade, electroreception was lost independently in the lineage leading to anuran frogs and the lineage leading to amniotes (presumably in the transition to land). Within the ray-finned fish clade, electroreception was lost in the lineage leading to the neopterygian clade, that is holostean fishes (bowfins and gars) (Grande 2010) and teleosts, although electroreception subsequently evolved independently at least twice in different teleost groups, for example catfishes (siluriforms), knifefishes (gymnotiforms), and elephantnose fishes (mormyriforms) (Bullock et al 1983;New 1997;Northcutt 1997;Alves-Gomes 2001).…”

GUIDING OUT‐MIGRATING JUVENILE SEA LAMPREY (PETROMYZON MARINUS) WITH PULSED DIRECT CURRENT

“…Pulsed DC fields could likely be optimized to guide other species, valued or invasive. Most teleost fish are electroreceptive (Alves‐Gomes, ) and therefore can be expected to avoid fields of pulsed DC (Pugh et al ., ; Verrill and Berry, ; Dawson et al ., ; Sparks et al ., ). Additional research should define how species vary in their response to pulsed DC fields and determine if pulsed DC can guide multiple species simultaneously as did the vertical electrode system in this study.…”

Are You Positive? Electric Dipole Polarity Discrimination in the Yellow Stingray, Urobatis jamaicensis

“…Numerous other species across the vertebrate clade have demonstrated the ability to localize prey and conspecifics using only their electroreceptors (Bullock, 1982;Wilkens and Hoffman, 2005). Electrolocation has been documented among agnathans (Bodznick and Northcutt, 1981), amphibians (Himstedt et al, 1982), chondrosteans (Wilkens et al, 1997), mammals (Scheich et al, 1986;Czech-Damal et al, 2012), sarcopterygians (Northcutt, 1980), and teleosts (Alves-Gomes, 2001). The electrogenic teleosts in particular can use their electric organs and associated tuberous electroreceptors to effectively image their environment (Caputi and Budelli, 2006;von der Emde, 2006).…”