By the teeth of their skin, cavefish find their way |
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Authors: | Gal Haspel Adina Schwartz Amy Streets Daniel Escobar Camacho Daphne Soares |
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Affiliation: | Laboratory of Neural Control, Section on Developmental Neurobiology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. |
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Abstract: | Teeth and skin teeth (denticles), collectively named odontodes, are usually associated with the physical roles of cutting, protection or drag reduction in fishes [1,2]. These structures are composed of a soft pulp surrounded by dentine and covered by a mineralized substance such as enamel [3]. Odontodes arise from neural crest cells and epithelium and are often innervated [1-3]. However, little is known about their possible sensory function. Here, we demonstrate for the first time a mechanosensory role for denticles in a cavefish endemic to a fast water flow cave. All fishes gather hydrodynamic information via specialized sense organs called neuromasts [4-6]. Some fishes are especially attentive to such type of information [5] and until now hypertrophy of the neuromast system has been reported as the main constructive sensory adaptation in cavefishes [6,7]. We expect that the mechanosensory nature of denticles highlighted in this cave fish species might reflect a widespread sensory role for these structures in other animals. |
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