The Fish Lateral Line What is the lateral

The Fish Lateral Line

What is the lateral line?

What is the lateral line? Superherostuff. com

What is the lateral line? Superherostuff. com Spider Man = Spider Sense

What is the lateral line? roadtripusa. com Superherostuff. com Spider Man = Spider Sense

What is the lateral line? roadtripusa. com Superherostuff. com Spider Man = Spider Sense Fish Man =

What is the lateral line? roadtripusa. com Superherostuff. com Spider Man = Spider Sense Fish Man = Fish Sense?

What is the lateral line? roadtripusa. com Superherostuff. com Spider Man = Spider Sense Fish Man = Fish Sense?

What is the lateral line? roadtripusa. com Superherostuff. com Spider Man = Spider Sense Fish Man = Lateral Line

What is the lateral line? roadtripusa. com A special sense a fish has that can sense the movement in the water around them!

What is the lateral line? A special sense that fish have that can sense the movement in the water around them! roadtripusa. com Why would they want to do that? • Because they can.

What is the lateral line? A special sense that fish have that can sense the movement in the water around them! – Water is denser than air – Can tell when it “bumps” into them roadtripusa. com Why would they want to do that? • Because they can.

What is the lateral line? A special sense that fish have that can sense the movement in the water around them! – Water is denser than air – Can tell when it “bumps” into them • When they can’t see roadtripusa. com Why would they want to do that? • Because they can.

What is the lateral line? A special sense that fish have that can sense the movement in the water around them! – Water is denser than air – Can tell when it “bumps” into them • When they can’t see – Sometimes its dark – Sometimes they have no eyes roadtripusa. com Why would they want to do that? • Because they can

What is the lateral line? A special sense that fish have that can sense the movement in the water around them! Why would they want to do that? roadtripusa. com Also: Staying still and sensing the world around them

What is the lateral line? A special sense that fish have that can sense the movement in the water around them! Also: Staying still and sensing the world around them Tim Babb roadtripusa. com Important for feeding!

Overview • Who has a lateral line? • What does it look like? • How do scientists study it? roadtripusa. com • What can it sense?

Overview • Who has a lateral line? • What does it look like? • How do scientists study it? roadtripusa. com • What can it sense?

Who has a lateral line? Conn. DEC UW Sea Grant Montana Hunting and Fishing Journal Yellow Perch Lake Trout Largemouth Bass

Who has a lateral line? Conn. DEC UW Sea Grant Montana Hunting and Fishing Journal Yellow Perch Lake Trout EVERY FISH Largemouth Bass

Overview • Who has a lateral line? • What can it sense? • What does it look like? • How do scientists study it? roadtripusa. com – Every fish

Overview • Who has a lateral line? • What can it sense? – – Enemies moving Friends moving Food moving Obstacles roadtripusa. com – Every fish

What can it sense? Enemies

What can it sense? Enemies Fish can sense that a bigger fish swam by and swim away!

What can it sense? Friends Schooling fish can sense that they are near their school, even if they cannot see them.

What can it sense? Friends Schooling fish can sense that they are near their school, even if they cannot see them.

Sensing food: • When it is dark • To sit and wait • To maximize efficiency Aquaworld What can it sense? Food

What can it sense? Food The Sculpin Moves – to find a spot Sits – senses with lateral line Moves again if it finds nothing Doesn’t have to see the prey to know its there www. eopb. org

What can it sense? Obstacle Avoidance First, a quick lesson in fish hydrodynamics (water movement) Water is displaced off of head then sucked in by tail FISH Hassan et al. 1998

What can it sense? Obstacle Avoidance As an obstacle is approached scan of Hassan 218 FISH Hassan et al. 1998 Water flow is disrupted from normal pathway.

What can it sense? Obstacle Avoidance The blind cave fish • Lives in completely dark caves • Has no eyes How does it avoid obstacles?

What can it sense? Obstacle Avoidance The blind cave fish • Lives in completely dark caves • Has no eyes How does it avoid obstacles? The lateral line!

Action Video of Obstacle Avoidance

Overview • Who has a lateral line? • What can it sense? – Everything that moves in water • What does it look like? roadtripusa. com – Every fish

Overview • Who has a lateral line? • What can it sense? – Everything that moves in water • What does it look like? – What are the components? – Where is it located? roadtripusa. com – Every fish

What does it look like? First, a term: Neuromast: a big word for the little jellybean looking structures that make up the lateral line.

What does it look like? Neuromast

What does it look like? Neuromasts can be located on the outside of the fish Or inside little canals under the scales Mogdans and Bleckmann 2001 Close up of a scale with an entrance to the canal

What does it look like? Neuromasts can be located on the outside of the fish Or inside little canals under the scales Side view of canal

What does it look like? Why put the neuromasts under the skin? It’s like covering your ears

What does it look like? Finnish Fly Fishing Magazine www. swantrust. org Fish that live in streams have more canals, because the water would overload the neuromasts

What does it look like? Fish that live in calmer environments have more neuromasts on the outside of their body

What does it look like? Also note the position, not just on side of body

What does it look like? Also note the position, not just on side of body

What does it look like?

Overview • Who has a lateral line? • What can it sense? – Everything that moves in water • What does it look like? – Location and type varies • How do scientists study it? roadtripusa. com – Every fish

Overview • Who has a lateral line? • What can it sense? – Everything that moves in water • What does it look like? – Location and type varies • How do scientists study it? roadtripusa. com – Every fish

How do scientists study it? Scientists are detectives. They have ideas and follow clues But they need to approach the idea scientifically http: //www. cdislands. com/photos_mexico/coz 5/xco 80335. jpg

How do scientists study it? Scientists are detectives. They have ideas and follow clues But they need to approach the idea scientifically They must eliminate variables (possible situations) http: //www. cdislands. com/photos_mexico/coz 5/xco 80335. jpg

How do scientists study it? • Blinding the fish – Lets scientists eliminate vision from fish’s choice • Disabling the lateral line – Done by use of chemicals or severing nerves – Lets scientists see what happens when fish cannot use the lateral line

How do scientists study it? examples The Stargazer • Stimulated by fish swimming • Even when dark http: //www. sunfish. au

How do scientists study it? examples • Blind fish schooling Pitcher et al 1976

The End Dear frog and fish, or newt and shark, you’ll escape or dine just fine, Svenning with your lateral line. From: The Mechanosensory Lateral Line http: //www. larrystark. com you needn’t worry when it’s dark;