Orientation in the dark: brain circuits involved in the perception of electric signals in mormyrid electric fish.

Weakly electric fish produce electric signals with a specialised organ in their tail. In addition, they are electrosensitive and can perceive their self-generated signals (for electrolocation) and electric signals of other electric fishes (for electrocommunication). Mormyrids possess three types of peripheral electroreceptor organs, one used for electrocommunication and two types involved in electolocation. They are innervated by afferent fibres, which project to different zones in the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) in the medulla. Brain circuits for electrolocation and electrocommunication are separated almost throughout the whole brain. Electrolocation pathways run from the ELL-cortex to the torus semicircularis of the midbrain and then via the valvula cerebelli towards the telencephalon. Pathways involved in electrocommunication run from the nucleus of the ELL to another part of the torus and from there through the isthmic granule nucleus to the valvula. In addition, a pathway via the preglomerular complex to the telencephalon might exist. In both the electrolocation and the electrocommunication circuits, prominent recurrent pathways are present.     

The Lipomycetaceae,a model family for phylogenetic studies

The Lipomycetaceae (Endomycetales) are known from the generaDipodascopsis, Lipomyces andZygozyma with budding anamorphic states inMyxozyma. The family is easily recognized culturally and physiologically but is phenotypically and ecologically extremely diverse. This natural taxon is phylogenetically distinct from the Saccharomycetaceae, but probably related to the Dipodascaceae. The possible evolution of the lipomycetaceous anamorphs is discussed.