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Superficial neuromasts as proprioceptive receptors in poeciliid fish (1050.11)
Author(s) -
MartinezRivera Noraida,
SerranoVelez Jose,
TorresVazquez Irma,
RosaMolinar Eduardo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.1050.11
Subject(s) - proprioception , biology , fish fin , mosquitofish , anatomy , sexual dimorphism , neuroscience , vestibular system , fin , zoology , communication , gambusia , fish <actinopterygii> , psychology , fishery , materials science , composite material
The sense of position and movement of the paired and/or unpaired fins (“fin”, hereafter) is critical for executing rapid motor behavior in fishes. However, the location of the proprioceptive receptors involved in proprioception of fin movement is unknown; also unknown is whether or not afferent signals generated during fin movement are encoded to a “central body map” in the brain to reference the location of the fin in space. Here we provide results of work to describe and define the role of a mechanosensory receptor, the superficial neuromast, as a proprioceptive receptor in the male Western Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis (“Mosquitofish”, hereafter). We sought to clarify whether or not superficial neuromasts associated with the male Mosquitofish sexually dimorphic fin serve as proprioceptive receptors for the proprioception of the fin to perform synchronous‐rapid‐rhythmic (SRR) movements essential for non‐cooperative coitus. In male Mosquitofish, we found that the number and distribution of the superficial neuromasts associated with the sexually dimorphic fin were significantly different (p = 2.6704 e‐05) from those found in female Mosquitofish. Removal of superficial neuromasts from the male resulted in significant impairment of SSR movements. These results suggest that the superficial neuromasts associated with the sexually dimorphic fin in the male Mosquitofish should be considered as a proprioceptive receptor. Grant Funding Source : Research supported by NSF‐1137725