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Fish Hearing and Bioacoustics pp 271–289Cite as

Multimodal Sensory Input in the Utricle and Lateral Line of the Toadfish, Opsanus tau

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Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 877))

Abstract

The utricular otolith and the mechanosensory lateral line of the toadfish, Opsanus tau, were investigated for sensitivity to multimodal sensory input by recording neural activity from free swimming fish. The utricle was sensitive to horizontal body movement, and displayed broad sensitivity to low frequency (80–200 Hz) sound. The lateral line was sensitive to water currents, swimming, prey movements, and sound with maximal sensitivity at 100 Hz. Both systems showed directional sensitivity to pure tones and toadfish vocalizations, indicating potential for sound localization. Thus, toadfish possess two hair cell based sensory systems that integrate information from disparate sources. However, swimming movements or predation strikes can saturate each system and it is unclear the effect that self-generated movement has on sensitivity. It is hypothesized that the toadfish’s strategy of short distance swim movements allows it to sample the acoustical environment while static. Further study is needed to determine the integration of the two systems and if they are able to segregate and/or integrate multimodal sensory input.

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Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Karen Maruska (utricle) and Craig Radford (lateral line) for performing the bulk of the experiments and data analysis reported in this chapter and to the Grass foundation for providing their support. Thanks to Lucy Palmer and Max Deffenbaugh for initial help in developing the tag. Funding was provided by NSF grants IOS 0316130, 0843735, and 1354745.

I would also thank Dick Fay and Art Popper for their contributions to fish bioacoustics. I first met Dick Fay while I was a post-doc in the Highstein lab during our summer toadfish research at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. While our study sites in the toadfish brain were just mm apart, our interests at the time were quite divergent as Dick was investigating the saccule and I was concentrating on nerve regeneration and developing the telemetry tag. Dick was always quite supportive and encouraging of my research, and I appreciated his input and guidance. Although his shaker table and experiments were cutting edge, his patience for neurophysiology was certainly old school. There was never any need to ask Dick how the experiments were going, because the frequency of his outdoor “breaks” were inversely correlated with experimental success. Although I interacted with Art Popper less frequently, I always looked forward to our interactions at the MBL or scientific meetings. Art was also quite supportive of my career and always took the time to ask about my current research.

I cannot think of another scientific pair that so defined a field and yet were so generous with their time and support for students and colleagues. Thank you Dick and Art for your support, generosity and “sound” advice

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA

    Allen F. Mensinger

  2. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA

    Allen F. Mensinger

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  1. Allen F. Mensinger
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Correspondence to Allen F. Mensinger .

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Joseph A. Sisneros

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Mensinger, A.F. (2016). Multimodal Sensory Input in the Utricle and Lateral Line of the Toadfish, Opsanus tau . In: Sisneros, J. (eds) Fish Hearing and Bioacoustics. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 877. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21059-9_13

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