Olfactory organ morphology and histology in the yellow perch and golden shiner

Abstract

The structure of the olfactory organs of adult yellow perch Perca flavescens and golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas is described. The yellow perch has 14–16 primary lamellae and the golden shiner 17–20. Yellow perch olfactory epithelium is best developed in the proximal portions of the lamellae and consists of basal cells, sensory cells, and ciliated and unciliated sustentacular cells. Distal regions of the lamellae are made up of mucous cells and undifferentiated epithelium. The general structure of the yellow perch olfactory organ is similar to that of the Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilus. In the shiner sensory cells are organized into clusters. These clusters are interspersed throughout the epithelium and are surrounded by mucous and unciliated sustentacula cells. Ciliated sustentacular cells are rare, while neural pits are common. This type of epithelial organization has not previously been described from cyprinids.