Acoustic Transduction in Fish

Abstract

The research program in our laboratory is directed at understanding the basic structure and function of the auditory system in fishes. The underwater environment is acoustically noisy and complex. Yet, fishes have evolved mechanisms to extract biologically relevant sounds from unimportant background stimuli. Experimental studies have demonstrated that extraction of signals from noise, discrimination between signals, and localizing the direction of sounds are very important to fishes. Significantly, fishes use an accelerometer-like ear and a relatively 'simple' central nervous system (CNS) to do this highly complex sound analysis. It is the objective of this study to understand how this accelerometer-like system is capable of complex signal analysis and processing. More specifically, we intend to determine auditory capabilities and mechanisms of fishes, the contributions of various parts of the auditory system (ear and peripheral structures) to signal analysis, and the neuroanatomy ('wiring') of the auditory portion of the CNS as it might contribute to signal analysis.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 25, 1992
Accession Number
ADA246119

Entities

People

  • Arthur N. Popper

Organizations

  • University of Maryland

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accelerometers
  • Animals
  • Cells
  • Central Nervous System
  • Ear
  • Epithelium
  • Fish
  • Frequency
  • Nerves
  • Nervous System
  • New York
  • Personal Information Managers
  • Psychology
  • Universities

Readers

  • Acoustical Oceanography.
  • Auditory Neuroscience/Auditory Physiology.
  • Theoretical Analysis.