Comparison and Evolution of the Lagena in Various Animal Species

Abstract

The structure of the vestibular organs of the teleost fish (bluegill), newts (Japanese fire-belly newt), frogs (black-spotted pond frog), snapping turtles and birds (chicks) was morphologically compared, with particular attention to the lagena macula, and the differences between animal species with relation to evolution were considered. Teleost fish had no striola on the lagena macula. The striola of newts were short and restricted to the central area of the macula, but those of frogs, snapping turtles and chicks extended from the anterior to posterior edges of the macula. This indicates that the frog is more highly evolved than the newt. The length of the kinocilium of sensory hairs was equal to that of the longest stereocilium in teleost fish and newts, but the kinocilia of frogs, snapping turtles and chicks were longer than the longest stereocilium. This indicates that the function of the lagena of teleost fish and newts is for hearing whilst in the other animals they are for posture. The diameter of the sensory hair bundles is small in teleost fish and frogs, but large in newts and snapping turtles. This indicates that the sensitivity of the sensory cells of the lagena towards outer force is low in teleost fish and frogs, high in newts and snapping turtles and intermediate in birds. The lagena of snapping turtles protrudes from the basilar papilla into the vestibule but the lagena of chicks lies on the tip of the long projecting basilar papilla. From observation of the locations of lagenae it is natural to speculate that there must have been some species of animal now extinct that had the evolving location of the lagena prior to that of chicks. In future it will be very interesting and useful to identify this extinct animal using DNA techniques.