Abstract
Although a number of previous behavioral studies have demonstrated that elasmobranch fishes can detect and are attracted to low frequency sounds, few physiological studies have characterized the auditory response properties of the elasmobranch inner ear to such low frequency sounds. In this study, we examined the directional and frequency responses of the inner ear saccule in the little skate, Raja erinacea to low frequency stimuli. Evoked microphonic potentials were recorded from the middle region of the saccule while sound was generated using a shaker table designed to mimic the particle motion vector component of sound. 8 test frequencies (50, 64, 84, 100, 140, 185, 243, and 303 Hz) and 11 directions were used to characterize the displacement sensitivity, frequency response and directional response properties of the skate saccule. Saccular potentials were evoked and measured at twice the stimulus frequency in vivo using a wave analyzer while stimuli were generated via the shaker table system. The right and left saccules appeared to have an omnidirectional response based on initial measurements, and the frequency response of the skate saccule had lowest displacement thresholds from 100 to 185 Hz.
Published Version
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