The Lateral Line, in this case shown on a shark

In fish, the lateral line is a sense organ used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Senses are the physiological methods of Perception. The senses and their operation classification and theory are overlapping topics studied by a variety of fields Lateral lines are usually visible as faint lines running lengthwise down each side, from the vicinity of the gill covers to the base of the tail. The operculum of a bony fish is the hard bony flap covering and protecting the Gills In most fish the rear edge of the operculum roughly marks the division between Sometimes parts of the lateral organ are modified into electroreceptors, which are organs used to detect electrical impulses. Electroreception, sometimes written as electroception, is the biological ability to perceive Electrical impulses It is particularly common among aquatic creatures It is possible that vertebrates such as sharks use the lateral organs to detect magnetic fields as well. Vertebrates are members of the Subphylum Vertebrata, Chordates with backbones or spinal columns The grouping sometimes includes Sharks ( Superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of Fish with a full cartilaginous Skeleton and a highly streamlined body Most amphibian larvae and some adult amphibians also have a lateral organ. Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and In Roman mythology, the larvae or lemures (singular lemur) were the spectres or spirits of the dead they were the malignant version of the

The Lateral line is related to the Ampullae of Lorenzini. The ampullae of Lorenzini are special sensing organs forming a network of jelly-filled canals found on Elasmobranchs ( Sharks and rays) and

The receptors in the lateral line are neuromasts, each of which is composed of a group of hair cells. The hairs are surrounded by a protruding jelly-like cupula, typically 1/10 to 1/5 mm long. The hair cells and cupolas of the neuromasts are usually at the bottom of a visible pit or groove in the fish. The hair cells in the lateral line are similar to the hair cells inside the vertebrate inner ear, indicating that the lateral line and the inner ear share a common origin. The ear is the sense organ that detects Sounds The Vertebrate ear shows a common biology from Fish to Humans with variations

Teleosts and elasmobranchs usually have lateral-line canals, in which the neuromasts are not directly exposed to the environment, but communicate with it via canal pores. Teleostei is one of three infraclasses in class Actinopterygii, the ray-finned fishes Elasmobranchii is the subclass of Cartilaginous fish that includes Skates rays (batoidea, and sharks (selachii. Additional neuromasts may appear individually at various locations on the body surface.

The development of the lateral-line system depends on the fish's mode of life. For instance, fish that are active swimming types tend to have more neuromasts in canals than they have on their surface, and the line will be farther away from the pectoral fins, which probably reduces the amount of "noise" that is generated by fin motion.

The lateral-line system helps the fish to avoid collisions, to orient itself in relation to water currents, and to locate prey. For instance, blind cavefish have rows of neuromasts on their heads, which appear to be used to precisely locate food without the use of sight; killifish are able to use their lateral line organ to sense the ripples made by insects struggling on the water's surface. A killifish is any of various tiny Oviparous (egg-laying cyprinodontiform fish (including families Aplocheilidae, Cyprinodontidae, Experiments with pollock have shown that the lateral line is also a key enabler for schooling behavior. Pollock (or pollack, pronounced the same and listed first in most UK and US dictionaries is the common name used for either of the two Species of marine A school (from Greek σχολεῖον - scholeion) is an Institution designed to allow and encourage Students (or "pupils"

It has also been suggested that the lateral line may give sharks advanced warning of frontal pressure systems and that they use it to avoid severe weather conditions that may result in injury. It was observed that during Hurricane Gabrielle that struck Florida in 2001, juvenile black tip sharks moved to deeper waters as the storm approached. The name Gabrielle has been used for four Tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. ^[1]

Some crustaceans and cephalopods have similar organs. Structure of crustaceans As Arthropods crustaceans have a stiff Exoskeleton, which must be shed to allow the animal to grow ( Ecdysis or molting The cephalopods ( Greek plural (kephalópoda "head-feet" are the Mollusc class Cephalopoda characterized by

Images

some scales of the lateral line of the roach (Rutilus rutilus)

The small holes on the head of this pike contain neuromasts of the lateral line system. Also the eye lens and the nose of this predator are visible.

References

• A. N. Popper and C. Platt, "Inner ear and lateral line", in The Physiology of Fishes, 1st ed. (CRC Press, 1993)
• N. A. M. Schellart and R. J. Wubbels, "The auditory and mechanosensory lateral line system", in The Physiology of Fishes, 2nd ed. (CRC Press, 1998)