Summary
-
1.
The role of the ventral lateral line organs in water surface wave localization in the clawed toad,Xenopus laevis Daudin, was tested in blinded animals with various lesions of lateral line organs.
-
2.
After destruction of all its dorsal lateral line organs, but with all its ventral organs intact,Xenopus shows normal responsiveness and full response accuracy to waves from any direction (Fig. 2).
-
3.
Additional partial destruction of ventral organs seriously impairs wave localization (Fig. 2). Determination of the stimulus side, however, is mostly not affected by these lesions (Table 1). Thus, information about the side to which to turn, and the angle through which to turn are obtained differently from lateral line input.
-
4.
Xenopus with only one side's dorsal receptors intact responds to waves as accurately as animals with intact dorsal and ventral receptors on that side (Fig. 2). Thus, ventral input does not improve accuracy of localization in the horizontal plane beyond that provided already by the dorsal receptors alone.
-
5.
Xenopus with only its ventral receptors intact shows a significant increase in turning down, which is specific for this type of lesion (Table 2). Thus, comparison between dorsal and ventral inputs is involved in vertical localization.
-
6.
InXenopus with only its ventral receptors on one head side intact, turn angles to given stimulus angles vary more than in specimens with total lateral line destruction. This suggests a hierarchy inXenopus' reliance on its sense organs for wave localization in that even indistinct lateral line input is taken as more relevant than the information from the frog's other wave localizing organ(s).
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Dijkgraaf S (1947) Über die Reizung des Ferntastsinns bei Fischen und Amphibien. Experientia 3:206–208
Dijkgraaf S (1963) The functioning and significance of the lateral line organs. Biol Rev 38:51–105
Elepfandt A (1982) Accuracy of taxis response to water waves in the clawed toad (Xenopus laevis Daudin) with intact or with lesioned lateral line system. J Comp Physiol 148:535–545
Görner P (1973) The importance of the lateral line system for the perception of surface waves in the clawed toad,Xenopus laevis. Experientia 29:295–296
Görner P, Moller P, Weber W (1984) Lateral-line input and stimulus localization in the African clawed toadXenopus sp. J Exp Biol 108:315–328
Kramer G (1933) Untersuchungen über die Sinnesleistungen und das Orientierungsverhalten vonXenopus laevis DAUD. Zool Jb Physiol 52:629–676
Müller U, Schwartz E (1982) Influence of single neuromasts on prey localizing behavior of the surface feeding fish,Aplocheilus lineatus. J Comp Physiol 149:399–408
Murray RW (1955) The lateralis organs and their innervations inXenopus laevis. Q J Microsc Sci 96:351–361
Schwartz E (1965) Bau und Funktion der Seitenlinie des Streifenhechtlings (Aplocheilus lineatus Cuv. u. Val.). Z Vergl Physiol 50:55–87
Schwartz E (1971) Die Ortung von Wasserwellen durch Oberflächenfische. Z Vergl Physiol 74:64–80
Shelton PMJ (1970) The lateral line system at metamorphosis inXenopus laevis (Daudin). J Embryol Exp Morphol 24:511–524
Sommerfeld A (1970) Vorlesungen über Theoretische Physik II. Mechanik der deformierbaren Medien. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Leipzig
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Elepfandt, A. The role of ventral lateral line organs in water wave localization in the clawed toad (Xenopus laevis). J. Comp. Physiol. 154, 773–780 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00610677
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00610677