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HEARING — Physiological Bases and Psychophysics pp 70–76Cite as

Frequency Coding in the Inner Ear of Anuran Amphibians

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Abstract

The amphibian inner ear is unique among vertebrates in that it contains two separate auditory organs: the amphibian and basilar papillae. Each organ has its own complement of hair cells and overlying tectorial membrane. However, neither organ possesses a basilar membrane or two populations of sensory receptor cells corresponding to inner and outer hair cells. The polarization patterns of the hair cells of both the amphibian papilla (a.p.) and the basilar papilla (b.p.) are a complex function of sensory surface geometry and for the most part are family— if not species-specific (Lewis, 1978). Despite the distinctive inner ear morphology of amphibians, FTCs obtained from auditory nerve fibers in the frog have shapes similar to those of comparable CFs recorded from the eighth nerves of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brain Research Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA

    P. M. Narins

  2. Department of Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA

    C. M. Hillery

Authors
  1. P. M. Narins
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  2. C. M. Hillery
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum der Physiologie, Theordor-Stern-Kai 7, D-6000, Frankfurt 70, Germany

    Rainer Klinke  & Rainer Hartmann  & 

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© 1938 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Narins, P.M., Hillery, C.M. (1938). Frequency Coding in the Inner Ear of Anuran Amphibians. In: Klinke, R., Hartmann, R. (eds) HEARING — Physiological Bases and Psychophysics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69257-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69257-4_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-69259-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-69257-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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