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

蝴蝶鱼属（硬骨鱼纲，蝴蝶鱼科）是世界各地珊瑚礁的重要居民，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交和进食行为，它们特定于物种的颜色图案提供了用于社交交流的视觉线索，但直到最近才知道这些鱼在自然社交行为中会发出声音。我们已经表明，领土蝴蝶鱼产生的声音在竞争的相互作用领域。 正常情况下，耳朵是对声音有反应的器官（如所有脊椎动物）。 然而，在蝴蝶鱼属的鱼类中，通常只对水流有反应的机械感觉侧线系统似乎对声音敏感。 这被认为是由于鱼鳔与侧线系统（laterocentralconnection）的独特联系，这种联系只在Chaetodon属鱼类中发现。 拟议研究计划的目标是了解这种独特结构专业化的功能意义，以及耳朵和侧线系统处理和整合自然社会行为期间产生的声音的方式。 为了做到这一点，我们将研究8种蝴蝶鱼，并测试更具体的假设：1）毛齿鱼属的鱼类在特定的行为相互作用的背景下自然地产生声音，2）鱼鳔角的存在增强了内耳对声压刺激的敏感性，3）侧索连接独特地使侧线系统对声音敏感，在那里，它通常只对水流敏感（这是物理上不同于声音），和4）在结构上的变化的lateroadrenal连接（已经定义在21个物种与先前的NSF资金）有重要的功能影响的程度的声音敏感性。 这些假设将使用比较行为，解剖学，生物力学和神经生理学的approaches.We正在使用一个特殊的模型系统的综合，现场和实验室研究的感觉生物学的一个多样化的和生态上重要的珊瑚礁鱼类。 维拉诺瓦大学和夏威夷大学的学生将通过与PI的互动从这种合作中受益，PI为项目带来了互补的方法和方法。 本科生和研究生将是这个项目的重要贡献者。几个本科生，研究生论文和论文将从这个研究计划中产生，从而提高所有学生参与者的教育。 此外，维拉诺瓦的学生将有机会在两个PI的将继续参与妇女和少数民族在他们的实验室进行实地研究，因为他们的记录显示，他们在过去所做的。 研究成果的传播将通过在各种国家会议（如SICB、ASIH、Neurosciences、ARO）和PI的国际会议上发表论文，以及发表几篇独立和合作的同行评审论文和潜在的邀请或评审章节来进行。

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.