Summary
The sensory hair cells of the ventral 2/3 of the papilla basilaris of Gekko gecko are divided into anterior (pre-axial) and posterior (post-axial) portions by a mid-axial gap or hiatus where there are no hair cells. There is no separation of the hair cells in the dorsal third of the papilla. There are three tectorial membrane modifications: an attached thickened membrane covering the pre-axial hair cells, sallets covering the post-axial hair cells, and an attached filamentous membrane covering the dorsal hair cells. The number of hair cells is greatest ventrally and decreases dorsally. There are approximately 2000 to 2100 hair cells. The kinocilia of the hair cells of the anterior halves of both the pre- and the post-axial vertical hair-cell rows are oriented posteriorly, while the kinocilia of the posterior halves are oriented anteriorly. The kinocilia of the hair cells of the dorsal third of the papilla are mostly oriented posteriorly. Thus, kinocilial orientation of the ventral 2/3 of the papilla is doubly bidirectional, and the dorsal 1/3, largely unidirectional.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, T.: Techniques for the preservation of three-dimensional structure in preparing specimens for the electron microscope. Trans. N.Y. Acad. Sci., Series II 13, 130–134 (1951).
Baird, I. L.: A survey of the periotic labyrinth in some representative recent reptiles. Kans. Univ. Sci. Bull. 41, 891–981 (1960).
Baird, I. L.: Some histological and cytological features of the basilar papilla in the lizard, Anolis carolinensis. Anat. Rec. 157, 208–209 (1967).
Baird, I. L.: Some findings of comparative fine structural studies of the basilar papilla in certain reptiles. Anat. Rec. 163, 149 (1969).
Baird, I. L.: The anatomy of the reptilian ear. In: Gans, C. and Parsons, T. (eds), Biology of the reptilia, vol. 2, p. 193–275. New York: Academic Press 1970.
Hamilton, D. W.: Observations on the morphology of the inner ear in certain gekkonid lizards. Univ. Kans. Sci. Bull. 41, 983–1024 (1960).
Hamilton, D. W.: The inner ear of lizards. I. Gross structure. J. Morph. 115, 255–271 (1964).
Hepp-Reymond, M.-C., Palin, J.: Patterns in the cochlear potentials of the Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko). Acta oto-laryng. (Stockh.) 65, 270–292 (1968).
Hillman, D. E.: New ultrastructural findings regarding a vestibular ciliary apparatus and its possible functional significance. Brain Res. 13, 407–412 (1969).
Miller, M. R.: The cochlear duct of lizards. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 33, 255–359 (1966a).
Miller, M. R.: The cochlear duct of lizards and snakes. Amer. Zool. 6, 421–429 (1966b).
Miller, M. R.: The cochlear duct of snakes. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 35, 425–475 (1968).
Mulroy, M. J.: Ultrastructure of the basilar papilla of reptiles. Doctoral Dissertation, University of California, San Francisco, California (1968a).
Mulroy, M. J.: Orientation of hair cells in the reptilian auditory papilla. Anat. Rec. 160, 397 (1968b).
Schmidt, R. S.: Phylogenetic significance of the lizard cochlea. Copeia 1964, 542–549 (1964).
Shute, C. C. D., Bellairs, A. d'A.: The cochlear apparatus of Gekkonidae and Pygopodidae and its bearing on the affinities of these groups of lizards. Proc. zool. Soc. Lond. 123, 695–709 (1953).
Wever, E. G.: Structure and function of the lizard ear. J. Auditory Res. 5, 331–371 (1965).
Wever, E. G.: The tectorial membrane of the lizard ear: types of structure. J. Morph. 122, 307–320 (1967a).
Wever, E. G.: The tectorial membrane of the lizard ear: species variations. J. Morph. 123, 355–372 (1967b).
Wever, E. G.: Tonal differentiation in the lizard ear. The Laryngoscope (St. Louis) 77, 1962–1973 (1967c).
Wever, E. G.: The lizard ear: Cordylus, Platysaurus and Gerrhosaurus. J. Morph. 130, 37–56 (1970).
Wever, E. G.: The mechanics of hair-cell stimulation. Trans. Amer. otol. Soc. 59, 89–107 (1971).
Wever, E. G., Hepp-Reymond, M.-C.: Auditory sensitivity in the fan-toed gecko, Ptyodactylus hasselquistii Puiseuxi Boutan. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 57, 681–687 (1967).
Wever, E. G., Peterson, E. A., Crowley, D. E., Vernon, J. A.: Further studies of hearing in the gekkonid lizards. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 51, 561–567 (1964).
Wever, E. G., Vernon, J. A., Crowley, D. E., Peterson, E. A.: Electrical output of lizard ear: relation to hair-cell population. Science 150, 1172–1174 (1965).
Wever, E. G., Vernon, J. A., Peterson, E. A., Crowley, D. E.: Auditory responses in the Tokay gecko. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 50, 806–811 (1963).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
I would like to thank Ms. Maria Maglio for her skill in handling the technical aspects of the scanning electron microscopy as well as her artistry in achieving photographic excellence on the scope, David Akers for expert photographic assistance, and Wayne Emery for the drawings. Research sponsored by United States Public Health Service Grant NS-09231.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Miller, M.R. A scanning electron microscope study of the papilla basilaris of Gekko gecko . Z.Zellforsch 136, 307–328 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307037
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307037