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Morphology of the Hagfish Inner Ear
Author(s) -
Jørgensen J. M.,
Shichiri M.,
Geneser F. A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6395.1998.tb01163.x
Subject(s) - kinocilium , biology , inner ear , hagfish , anatomy , utricle , morphology (biology) , ultrastructure , crista , saccule , hair cell , microbiology and biotechnology , zoology , vertebrate , mitochondrion , gene , biochemistry
The inner ear of five species of hagfishes was examined with different light and electron microscopical techniques. In all species, the labyrinth contains a single macula and two cristae, in a single semicircular canal. The macula consists of a horizontal, a middle vertical and a posterior horizontal component. Each component is covered by numerous round statoconia. The ring‐shaped cristae have very long kinocilia, but lack a proper cupula. The sensory epithelia show signs of regeneration, indicated by the presence of mitoses and apoptotic hair cells.