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Northern Hogsucker AEP Experimentation of Frequency in Comparison to Size

We tested hearing in the Northern Hogsucker using the auditory evoked potential (AEP) recording technique, a non-invasive electrophysiological approach that allows rapid evaluation of hearing and repeated testing of animals. The AEP technique is used to study the effects of sound/noise levels on hearing by measuring the temporary threshold shifts after exposure to the sound/noise. Northern Hogsucker are members of the otophysan lineage of fishes, which share an anatomical modification for enhanced hearing sensitivity relative to most non-otophysan fishes. This special hearing anatomy (Weberian apparatus) involves a chain of small bones, called Weberian ossicles, that connect the swim bladder to the ears. The Weberian apparatus of otophysans is associated with increased sensitivity to a wider range of sound frequencies, however, the auditory sensitivity of most otophysans is unknown. Further, how size-related changes in Weberian apparatus function and hearing sensitivity are largely unknown. We set out to determine the frequency range and sensitivity of hearing in the Northern Hogsucker (Hypentelium nigricans).