Collaborative Research: The Laterophysic Connection: Integration of the Auditory and Lateral Line Systems in Sound Reception

脉齿目的蝶鱼是世界各地珊瑚礁的显著居民，由于它们依赖珊瑚作为食物来源，因此是珊瑚礁健康的生态指标。这些鱼表现出广泛的社会和觅食行为，它们特定物种的颜色图案提供了用于社会交流的视觉线索，但直到最近，人们还不知道这些鱼在自然的社会行为中发出声音。我们已经证明，地域性蝴蝶鱼在野外的激励性相互作用中发出声音。正常情况下，耳朵是对声音作出反应的器官(就像所有脊椎动物一样)。然而，在柴齿鱼属鱼类中，似乎机械感觉侧线系统通常只对水流做出反应，但可能对声音敏感。这被认为是由于鱼囊与侧线系统(侧线连接)存在一种独特的联系，这种联系只存在于柴齿鱼属鱼类中。这项拟议的研究计划的目标是了解这种独特的结构专门化的功能意义，以及耳朵和侧线系统处理和整合自然社会行为中产生的声音的方式。为此，我们将研究8种查登鱼，并检验更具体的假设：1)查特登属鱼类在特定行为相互作用的背景下自然发声，2)鱼囊角的存在增强内耳对声音压力刺激的敏感性，3)侧生理连接独特地使侧线系统对声音敏感，其中它通常只对水流敏感(这在物理上与声音不同)，以及4)侧物理连接的结构变化(已经在21个物种中定义了NSF之前的资助)对声音敏感程度具有重要的功能意义。我们将使用比较行为学、解剖学、生物力学和神经生理学的方法来验证这些假说。我们正在使用一种特殊的模型系统，对各种具有生态重要性的珊瑚礁鱼类的感觉生物学进行综合的、现场的和实验室的研究。维拉诺瓦大学和夏威夷大学的学生将通过与这两个为项目带来互补方法和方法的PI进行互动而受益于这一合作。本科生和研究生将是这个项目的重要贡献者。这个研究项目将产生几个本科生和研究生论文和学位论文，从而加强对所有学生参与者的教育。此外，维拉诺瓦的学生将有机会在国际和平研究所进行实地研究，他们的实验室将继续有妇女和少数族裔参与，他们的记录表明他们过去曾这样做过。研究成果的传播将通过在各种国家会议(如SICB、ASIH、神经科学、ARO)和两个国际国际会议上的纸质报告，以及出版几篇独立和合作的同行评议论文和潜在的受邀或评议章节来进行。

Butterflyfishes of the genus Chaetodon (Teleostei, Family Chaetodontidae) are conspicuous inhabitants of coral reefs worldwide and are ecological indicators of reef health due to their dependence on coral as a food source. These fishes exhibit a wide range of social and feeding behaviors and their species-specific color patterns provide visual cues used in social communication, but until recently these fishes were not known to produce sound during natural social behaviors. We have shown that territorial butterflyfishes produce sounds during agonistic interactions in the field. Normally the ear is the organ responsive to sound (as in all vertebrates). In fishes of the genus Chaetodon, however, it appears that the mechanosensory lateral line system, which is normally responsive only to water flow, may be sensitive to sound. This is thought to be due to the presence of a unique linkage of the swim bladder with the lateral line system (the laterophysic connection), found only in fishes in the genus Chaetodon. The goal of the proposed research program is to understand the functional significance of this unique structural specialization and the ways in which the ear and lateral line system process and integrate sounds produced during natural social behaviors. In order to do this, we will study 8 species of Chaetodon and test the more specific hypotheses: 1) that fishes in the genus Chaetodon naturally produce sound in the context of specific behavioral interactions, 2) that the presence of swim bladder horns enhances sensitivity of the inner ear to sound pressure stimuli, 3) that the laterophysic connection uniquely makes the lateral line system sound-sensitive, where it is normally only sensitive to water flow (which is physically distinct from sound), and 4) that variation in the structure of the laterophysic connection (already defined in 21 species with prior NSF funding) has important functional implications for the degree of sound sensitivity. These hypotheses will be tested using comparative behavioral, anatomical, biomechanical and neurophysiological approaches.We are using an exceptional model system for an integrated, field and lab study of the sensory biology of an diverse and ecologically important group of coral reef fishes. Students at both Villanova University and the University of Hawaii will benefit from this collaboration by interacting with both PI's who bring complementary approaches and methodologies to the project. Undergraduates and graduate students will be important contributors to this project. Several undergraduate, and graduate theses and dissertations will arise from this research program, thus enhancing the education of all student participants. In addition, Villanova students will have the opportunity to carry out field research in Both PI's will continue to involve women and minorities in their laboratories, as their records show they have done in the past. Dissemination of research results will occur through paper presentations at a variety of national conferences (e.g. SICB, ASIH, Neurosciences, ARO), and international conferences by both PI's, and the publication of several independent and collaborative peer-reviewed papers and potential invited or review chapters.