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The mechanosensory lateral line system in two species of wobbegong shark (Orectolobidae)

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Abstract

Comparative studies of the mechanosensory lateral line (MLL) have provided valuable insights into the predatory, escape and navigation behaviours of teleost and elasmobranch fishes. Recent work on the MLL in elasmobranchs has focused on canal morphology and pore topography in batoid species, with considerably less detailed examination of the canal system of sharks. In this study, the spatial arrangement of MLL canals and pit organs, and the morphology of the sensory neuromasts, are described for two species of wobbegong shark: the spotted wobbegong Orectolobus maculatus and the ornate wobbegong O. ornatus. Wobbegongs are benthic species that employ an ambush feeding strategy, and it is hypothesised that the MLL will be adapted for both these ecological traits. The spatial distribution of the MLL system in both species is broadly similar to other elasmobranchs, with a dorsal concentration of canals and pit organs that is ideally suited for detecting water flow over the top of the head. This arrangement may facilitate the detection of prey and predators swimming above and in front of the shark. The non-pored canals positioned directly above the mouth may be used as mechanotactile receptors to optimise ‘touch’ sensation when feeding. Wobbegong canal and pit organ neuromast hair cell morphology is typical of other sharks; however, canal neuromast sensory tissue differs from other elasmobranch species in that it is not continuous throughout the canals. The study provides evidence that the MLL system of wobbegong sharks is well adapted for their rather unique feeding mode and benthic lifestyle.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank John Page and Dr Scott Cutmore for help with animal collection, and Dr Meredith Peach for providing advice on pit organ fixation methods. Funding for this project was supplied by a University of Queensland (UQ) International Research Award and UQ International Living Allowance Scholarship to SMT, Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery and Linkage Grants to SPC, and an ARC Discovery Grant/Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship (DP0558681) to NSH. Additional funding to SMT was provided by a National and International Research Alliances Program awarded to Associate Professor Ron Johnstone.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Susan M. Theiss

  2. School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Susan M. Theiss, Shaun P. Collin & Nathan S. Hart

  3. School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

    Shaun P. Collin & Nathan S. Hart

  4. The Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

    Shaun P. Collin & Nathan S. Hart

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  1. Susan M. Theiss
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Correspondence to Susan M. Theiss.

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Communicated by A. Schmidt-Rhaesa.

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Theiss, S.M., Collin, S.P. & Hart, N.S. The mechanosensory lateral line system in two species of wobbegong shark (Orectolobidae). Zoomorphology 131, 339–348 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-012-0161-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-012-0161-4

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