Audition in sciaenid fishes with different swim bladder-inner ear configurations

Abstract

We investigated how morphological differences in the auditory periphery of teleost fishes may relate to hearing capabilities. Two species of western Atlantic sciaenids were examined: weakfish (Cynoscion regalis, Block and Schneider) and spot (Leiostomus xanthurus, Lacepede). These species differ in the anatomical relationship between the swim bladder and the inner ear. In weakfish, the swim bladder has a pair of anterior horns that terminate close to the ear, while there are no extensions of the swim bladder in spot. Thus, the swim bladder in spot terminates at a greater distance from the ear when compared to weakfish. With the use of the auditory brainstem response technique, Cynoscion regalis were found to detect frequencies up to 2000 Hz, while Leiostomus xanthurus detected up to 700 Hz. There were, however, no significant interspecific differences in auditory sensitivity for stimuli between 200 and 700 Hz. These data support the hypothesis that the swim bladder can potentially expand the frequency range of detection.

Diversity in Fish Auditory Systems: One of the Riddles of Sensory Biology

“…This difference may partly be explained by potential differences in techniques applied (maximum frequency measured by Horodysky et al was 1.2 kHz) or by differences in the attachment of swim bladder extensions to the ears. These factors, however, cannot explain the lack of sensitivity differences within the same studies (Ramcharitar et al, 2006;Horodysky et al, 2008).…”

“…less straightforward than that in cichlids and holocentrids (Ramcharitar et al, 2004(Ramcharitar et al, , 2006Horodysky et al, 2008;Wysocki et al, 2009). Ramcharitar et al (2006) showed that the swim bladder in the weakfish Cynoscion regalis has anterior horns that terminate close to the ears and that this species detects sound frequencies up to 2 kHz.…”

“…Ramcharitar et al (2006) showed that the swim bladder in the weakfish Cynoscion regalis has anterior horns that terminate close to the ears and that this species detects sound frequencies up to 2 kHz. The spot Leiostomus xanthurus, on the other hand, has no extensions and detects frequencies only up to 700 Hz.…”

Ontogenetic and interspecific variation in hearing ability in marine fish larvae

“…These 2 species have differences in their peripheral auditory structures, which were thought to be responsible for the difference in auditory abilityspecies from the subfamily Myripristinae have a direct connection between the swim bladder and the auditory bulla, whilst species from the genus Adioryx lack such connections (Coombs & Popper 1979). Similarly, among adults of sciaenid species, there are a range of auditory specialisations, and, consequently, different species have very different auditory capabilities (Ramcharitar et al 2001(Ramcharitar et al , 2006. One sciaenid species, Bairdiella chrysoura, can detect sounds of up to 4000 Hz, and this ability is suspected to be due to morphological specialisations of the inner ear and swim bladder (Ramcharitar et al 2004).…”

“…Different pomacentrid species have similar hearing abilities (Kenyon 1996, Myrberg & Spires 1980 as do 2 members of the genus Astyanax (Characidae) that inhabit vastly different environments (Popper 1970). Conversely, the families Holocentridae (Coombs & Popper 1979) and Sciaenidae (Ramcharitar et al 2004(Ramcharitar et al , 2006 contain some species that have high hearing sensitivities and other species with relatively poor hearing sensitivities. No study has compared the auditory ability of species from the same family or genus during the larval stage.…”