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The lateral line can mediate rheotaxis in fish

Author

Listed:
  • John C. Montgomery

    (Experimental Biology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland)

  • Cindy F. Baker

    (Experimental Biology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland)

  • Alexander G. Carton

    (Experimental Biology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland)

Abstract

Rheotaxis is a behavioural orientation to water currents1. It has been demonstrated physiologically that some lateral-line receptors are particularly well suited to provide information on water currents2, but their contribution to rheotaxis has been largely overlooked. The accepted view is that rheotaxis is mediated by visual and tactile cues1, and that in rheotactic orientation “the lateral lines play only a minor role”3. Here we provide a direct demonstration that rheotaxis can be mediated by the lateral line, and indeed by one specific receptor class of this system. In three diverse fish species, pharmacological block of the entire lateral-line system substantially increases the velocity threshold for rheotactic behaviour. The same effect is observed when only superficial neuromasts are ablated, whereas blockade of the other receptor class, canal neuromasts, has no such effect. Our results therefore demonstrate that superficial neuromasts make an important contribution to rheotactic behaviour in fish.

Suggested Citation

  • John C. Montgomery & Cindy F. Baker & Alexander G. Carton, 1997. "The lateral line can mediate rheotaxis in fish," Nature, Nature, vol. 389(6654), pages 960-963, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:389:y:1997:i:6654:d:10.1038_40135
    DOI: 10.1038/40135
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    Cited by:

    1. Andrew D Brown & Joseph A Sisneros & Tyler Jurasin & Chau Nguyen & Allison B Coffin, 2013. "Differences in Lateral Line Morphology between Hatchery- and Wild-Origin Steelhead," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(3), pages 1-9, March.
    2. Arenas, Antonio & Politano, Marcela & Weber, Larry & Timko, Mark, 2015. "Analysis of movements and behavior of smolts swimming in hydropower reservoirs," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 312(C), pages 292-307.
    3. Nolan Frey & Utku M. Sönmez & Jonathan Minden & Philip LeDuc, 2022. "Microfluidics for understanding model organisms," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Chong Li & Xinxin Liao & Zhi-Ke Peng & Guang Meng & Qingbo He, 2023. "Highly sensitive and broadband meta-mechanoreceptor via mechanical frequency-division multiplexing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Samuel K. H. Sy & Danny C. W. Chan & Roy C. H. Chan & Jing Lyu & Zhongqi Li & Kenneth K. Y. Wong & Chung Hang Jonathan Choi & Vincent C. T. Mok & Hei-Ming Lai & Owen Randlett & Yu Hu & Ho Ko, 2023. "An optofluidic platform for interrogating chemosensory behavior and brainwide neural representation in larval zebrafish," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.

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