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The morphology of the Weberian ossicles of two species of the genus Astyanax (Ostariophysi: Characidae)
Author(s) -
Popper Arthur N.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1051330205
Subject(s) - biology , characidae , ossicles , anatomy , characiformes , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , middle ear , fishery
The morphology of the Weberian ossicles of Astyanax mexicanus , an eyed river fish, and A. jordani , the Mexican blind cave fish, was investigated and the results were correlated with behavioral data on the auditory capacities of the two species. Several characteristics of the ossicles of the two species were inter‐specifically significantly different while other characteristics varied as much intra‐specifically as inter‐specifically. The ascending arm of the scaphium was shorter in the blind fish than in the river fish and the ascending arm of the intercalarium was further from the distal end of the base of the bones in the blind fish than in the river fish. A previously unreported ligament between the scaphium and the sinus atrium impar was found in Astyanax. It was hypothesized that this connective tissue retained perilymphatic fluid within the inner ear, helped the ossicles return to an anterior position after moving posteriorly, and might protect the inner ear during intense acoustical stimulation.