The pit organs of elasmobranchs: a review

Peach, Meredith B.; Marshall, N. Justin

doi:10.1098/rstb.2000.0653

Cited by 23 publications

(21 citation statements)

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“…Sharks and rays (elasmobranchs) have pit organs, or free neuromasts, components of the mechanosensory lateral line, scattered over their body surface in patterns that vary among species (Tester and Nelson, 1967;Peach and Marshall, 2000). The term "pit organs" will be used here to distinguish these from the free neuromasts of bony fishes and aquatic amphibians, with which they have some ultrastructural differences (Peach and Rouse, 2000).…”

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Inter‐ and intraspecific variation in the distribution and number of pit organs (free neuromasts) of sharks and rays

Peach

2003

Journal of Morphology

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The distribution of pit organs (free neuromasts) has previously been documented for several species of pelagic sharks, but is relatively poorly known for rays and bottom-dwelling (demersal) sharks. In the present study, the complete distribution of pit organs was mapped in the demersal sharks Heterodontus portusjacksoni, Orectolobus maculatus, Hemiscyllium ocellatum, Chiloscyllium punctatum, and Asymbolus analis, and the rays Rhinobatos typus, Aptychotrema rostrata, Trygonorrhina sp. A, Raja sp. A, and Myliobatis australis. All of these species had pit organs scattered over the dorsolateral surface. The sharks also had "mandibular" pit organs (and "umbilical" pit organs in C. punctatum and A. analis) on the ventral surface, while pit organs were sparse or absent on the ventral surface of rays. All of the species examined here, except for M. australis, also had a "spiracular" group of pit organs adjacent to the eye and/or spiracle. Spiracular pit organs were also recorded for the sawshark Pristiophorus sp. A and the skate Pavoraja nitida, although the remainder of pit organs were not mapped in these species. The distribution and number of pit organs varied both within and among species. Pit organ distribution was asymmetrical in each individual examined, but no particular trend towards left or right "handedness" was observed in any species. Although rays have been thought to have fewer pit organs than sharks in general, this was not the case in the present study. All of the species examined here had few pit organs compared to the pelagic sharks previously documented, but it is not clear whether this is due to ecological or phylogenetic causes.

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Inter‐ and intraspecific variation in the distribution and number of pit organs (free neuromasts) of sharks and rays

Peach

2003

Journal of Morphology

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“…Peach & Marshall (2000) and Peach (2003) demonstrated the importance of free neuromasts for prey detection under low light conditions as well as their chemoreceptor functions (Katsuki et al, 1969). Free neuromasts were not examined in the present study, and a more complete knowledge of their function may provide valuable additional information about the biology and behavior of potamotrygonid species in the typically low visibility environments of rivers in the Amazon basin.…”

Section: Neuromast Distribution the Densities Of Neuromasts Inmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Additionally, the lateral line system of elasmobranchs has free neuromasts (pit organs) (Peach & Marshall, 2000;Maruska, 2001). Peach & Marshall (2000) and Peach (2003) demonstrated the importance of free neuromasts for prey detection under low light conditions as well as their chemoreceptor functions (Katsuki et al, 1969).…”

Section: Neuromast Distribution the Densities Of Neuromasts Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The lateral line system occurs in all aquatic amphibians and fishes, and represents an important detector of water movements near the skin surface (Maruska & Tricas, 1998;Bleckmann & Hofmann, 1999;Peach & Marshall, 2000;Maruska, 2001;Peach, 2003). Different types of lateral line organs are found in chondrichthyans, although their functions are still not well understood (Barry & Bennett, 1989;Maruska, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphology of lateral line canals in Neotropical freshwater stingrays (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae) from Negro River, Brazilian Amazon

et al. 2010

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The relationship between the distribution of the lateral line canals and their functionality has not been well examined in elasmobranchs, especially among Neotropical freshwater stingrays of the family Potamotrygonidae. The spatial distribution of the canals and their tubules and the quantification of the neuromasts were analyzed in preserved specimens of Potamotrygon motoro, P. orbignyi, Potamotrygon sp. "cururu", and Paratrygon aiereba from the middle Negro River, Amazonas, Brazil. The hyomandibular, infraorbital, posterior lateral line, mandibular, nasal and supraorbital canals were characterized and their pores and neuromasts quantified. The ventral canals are known to facilitate the accurate localization of prey items under the body, and our results indicate that the dorsal canals may be employed in identifying the presence of predators or potential prey positioned above the stingray's body. The presence of non-pored canals in the ventral region may be compensated by the high concentration of neuromasts found in the same area, which possibly allow the accurate detection of mechanical stimuli. The concentration of non-pored canals near the mouth indicates their importance in locating and capturing prey buried in the bottom substrate, possibly aided by the presence of vesicles of Savi.A relação entre a distribuição dos canais da linha lateral e a sua funcionalidade é pouco conhecida para os elasmobrânquios, especialmente para as raias neotropicais da família Potamotrygonidae. A distribuição espacial dos canais e seus túbulos e a quantificação dos neuromastos foram analisadas em exemplares preservados das raias Potamotrygon motoro, P. orbignyi, Potamotrygon sp. "cururu" e Paratrygon aiereba, provenientes do médio rio Negro, Amazonas, Brasil. Foram identificados os canais hiomandibular, infra-orbital, linha lateral posterior, mandibular, nasal e supra-orbital, e os poros e neuromastos de cada um foram quantificados. Nossos resultados mostram que os canais dorsais podem ter a função de identificar a presença de predadores ou presas posicionadas acima do corpo da raia, enquanto os canais ventrais provavelmente permitem uma localização precisa da posição de presas sob o corpo. A existência de canais sem poros na região ventral pode estar relacionada com a alta concentração de neuromastos, que compensaria a falta de contato direto dos neuromastos com o meio externo na detecção de estímulos mecânicos. A concentração dos canais sem poros na proximidade da boca indica sua importância para a localização e captura de presas enterradas no substrato, possivelmente auxiliadas pela presença das vesículas de Savi.

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“…Fish can use rheotaxis triggered by an olfactory stimulus to find the source of the odor (Baker et al, 2002;Carton and Montgomery, 2003). Other evidence suggests that specifically the superficial neuromasts of the lateral line system may be involved in rheotaxis behavior in shark species that face the current while resting on the bottom (Peach and Marshall, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sharks need the lateral line to locate odor sources: rheotaxis and eddy chemotaxis

Gardiner

Atema

2007

Journal of Experimental Biology

108

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SUMMARY Odor plumes are complex, dynamic, three-dimensional structures used by many animals to locate food, mates, home sites, etc. Yet odor itself has no directional properties. Animals use a variety of different senses to obtain directional information. Since most odor plumes are composed of dispersing odor patches and dissipating vorticity eddies, aquatic animals may localize odor sources by simultaneous analysis of chemical and hydrodynamic dispersal fields, a process referred to as eddy chemotaxis. This study examines the contributions of olfaction, mechanoreception and vision to odor source localization in a shark, the smooth dogfish Mustelus canis. Two parallel, turbulent plumes were created in an 8 m flume: squid rinse odor and seawater control. Minimally turbulent `oozing' sources of odor and seawater control were physically separated from sources of major turbulence by placing a brick downstream from each oozing source, creating two turbulent wakes, one or the other flavored with food odor. This created four separate targets for the sharks to locate. Animals were tested under two light conditions(fluorescent and infrared) and in two sensory conditions (lateral line intact and lateral line lesioned by streptomycin). Intact animals demonstrated a preference for the odor plume over the seawater plume and for the source of odor/turbulence (the brick on the odor side) over the source of the odor alone(the odor-oozing nozzle). Plume and target preference and search time were not significantly affected by light condition. In the light, lesioning the lateral line increased search time but did not affect success rate or plume preference. However, lesioned animals no longer discriminated between sources of turbulent and oozing odor. In the dark, search time of lesioned animals further increased, and the few animals that located any of the targets did not discriminate between odor and seawater plumes, let alone targets. These results demonstrate for the first time that sharks require both olfactory and lateral line input for efficient and precise tracking of odor-flavored wakes and that visual input can improve food-finding performance when lateral line information is not available. We distinguish between rheotaxis: orientation to the large-scale flow field (olfaction, vision and superficial lateral line),eddy chemotaxis: tracking the trail of small-scale, odor-flavored turbulence(olfaction and lateral line canals), and pinpointing the source of the plume(lateral line canals and olfaction).

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The pit organs of elasmobranchs: a review

Cited by 23 publications

References 8 publications

Inter‐ and intraspecific variation in the distribution and number of pit organs (free neuromasts) of sharks and rays

Inter‐ and intraspecific variation in the distribution and number of pit organs (free neuromasts) of sharks and rays

Morphology of lateral line canals in Neotropical freshwater stingrays (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae) from Negro River, Brazilian Amazon

Sharks need the lateral line to locate odor sources: rheotaxis and eddy chemotaxis

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