The dorso-lateral pit organs of the Port Jackson shark contribute sensory information for rheotaxis

Resting Port Jackson sharks Heterodontus portusjacksoni with dorso-lateral pit organs ablated oriented with a mean angle of 263° to the current direction in a flume. This was significantly different ( P <0·01) to controls (normal and sham operated) who had a pooled mean angle of 44° to the current. Thus the dorso-lateral pit organs of H. portusjacksoni , like the free neuromasts of some teleosts, provide sensory information for rheotaxis.