316
J. H. 3. BLAXTER AND F. a. T. HOLLIDAY
L. Olfaction
Burne (1909) described the olfactory pit of clupeids, showing it to
be a simple pit similar to that of the salmon. Olfaction is of little
importance in the detection or primary selection of food by herring
(Blaxter and Holliday, 1958), this being done by sight. However,
Anon. (1952) reported that olfaction was 'important in the initial
approach to food made by Sardinops caerulea. Lagler et al. (1962)
described a hydraulic system of lymphatic sinuses which filled and
emptied the nasal sacs in response to pressure changes during respiratory movements.
Verheijen (1959b) could find no evidence of an alarm substance
(" Schreckstoff ", reviewed by Schutz, 1956) in four clupeids*. It
would be interesting to know whether species-specific odours exist
which might help in any way to keep shoals together. Jones (1962)
suggested that olfaction might be important for keeping herring
together by night.
M . The labyrinth, hearing, the effect of sound, and sound production
1. Labyrinth and hearing
the labyrinth in teleosts as :
The recent review of Lowenstein (1957) gave the main function of
Regulation of muscle tone
Reception of angular accelerations
Reception of gravitational stimuli
Reception of sound
In clupeids work ha8 bccn rcHtriutcrl alrnoHt aonipletr:ly to anatomical
( ltwri I i t .i ( ii I H . '1 '1 I( 9 ( v 1 I I i I i I) r i I i i t I I'ii I I c.l,ic )I I I I I' f.1 I (1 I d )y ti I it I I t i w c t l i'ciiu J y
bccri mentioned. It HOC'IIIH tliat c : x p ~ i ~ n c : r i t ~ ~ l
work, H U C ~
a~ removal of
the otoliths at the point where thc wall of the sacculus is separated from
the buccal cavity by only a thin membrane, or the injection of anaesthetics, would be possible.
In the herring the labyrinth consists of a sacculus containing the
sagitta, the largest otolith. The lagena, posteriorly, contains a smaller
otolith, the asteriscus, while the dorsally placed utriculus contains the
third otolith, the lapillus. Arising from the utriculus are the three
semicircular canals. The otoliths are in contact with mnculae receiving
branches of the V I I I nerve.
I n relation to sound, the connection between the labyrinth and
swim bladder seems to be of great importance. O'Connell (1956)
described this in Sardinops caerulea and Engraulis mordax, at the same
* Pfefler (2. veryl. Phyaiol. 43, 574 64, IR6fj) i d n o fvuiid 110 i i l ~ r r r i rutmt,nrir:a in
four ClLlpeid H F I f X l e H .
J. H. 3. BLAXTER AND F. a. T. HOLLIDAY
L. Olfaction
Burne (1909) described the olfactory pit of clupeids, showing it to
be a simple pit similar to that of the salmon. Olfaction is of little
importance in the detection or primary selection of food by herring
(Blaxter and Holliday, 1958), this being done by sight. However,
Anon. (1952) reported that olfaction was 'important in the initial
approach to food made by Sardinops caerulea. Lagler et al. (1962)
described a hydraulic system of lymphatic sinuses which filled and
emptied the nasal sacs in response to pressure changes during respiratory movements.
Verheijen (1959b) could find no evidence of an alarm substance
(" Schreckstoff ", reviewed by Schutz, 1956) in four clupeids*. It
would be interesting to know whether species-specific odours exist
which might help in any way to keep shoals together. Jones (1962)
suggested that olfaction might be important for keeping herring
together by night.
M . The labyrinth, hearing, the effect of sound, and sound production
1. Labyrinth and hearing
the labyrinth in teleosts as :
The recent review of Lowenstein (1957) gave the main function of
Regulation of muscle tone
Reception of angular accelerations
Reception of gravitational stimuli
Reception of sound
In clupeids work ha8 bccn rcHtriutcrl alrnoHt aonipletr:ly to anatomical
( ltwri I i t .i ( ii I H . '1 '1 I( 9 ( v 1 I I i I i I) r i I i i t I I'ii I I c.l,ic )I I I I I' f.1 I (1 I d )y ti I it I I t i w c t l i'ciiu J y
bccri mentioned. It HOC'IIIH tliat c : x p ~ i ~ n c : r i t ~ ~ l
work, H U C ~
a~ removal of
the otoliths at the point where thc wall of the sacculus is separated from
the buccal cavity by only a thin membrane, or the injection of anaesthetics, would be possible.
In the herring the labyrinth consists of a sacculus containing the
sagitta, the largest otolith. The lagena, posteriorly, contains a smaller
otolith, the asteriscus, while the dorsally placed utriculus contains the
third otolith, the lapillus. Arising from the utriculus are the three
semicircular canals. The otoliths are in contact with mnculae receiving
branches of the V I I I nerve.
I n relation to sound, the connection between the labyrinth and
swim bladder seems to be of great importance. O'Connell (1956)
described this in Sardinops caerulea and Engraulis mordax, at the same
* Pfefler (2. veryl. Phyaiol. 43, 574 64, IR6fj) i d n o fvuiid 110 i i l ~ r r r i rutmt,nrir:a in
four ClLlpeid H F I f X l e H .