The Future of Research on Electroreception and Electrocommunication.

Abstract

Besides the rounding out of presently active areas, six are selected for predictions of marked advance. (1) Most discoveries will be in cellular componentry and molecular mechanisms for one or another class of receptors or central pathways. (2) More major taxa will be found with electroreceptive species, possibly birds, reptiles or invertebrates, representing independent evolutionary "inventions". (3) Electric organs with weak and episodic electric discharges will be found in new taxa; first, among siluriforms. (4) New examples are expected, like lampreys, where synchronized muscle action potentials add up to voltages in the range of weakly electric fish. Some of these will look like intermediates in the evolution of electric organs. (5) Ethological significance will be found for a variety of known physiological features. Exs.: uranoscopids, skates and weakly electric catfish with episodic electric discharges of unknown role; electroreceptive ability of some of the diverse group having Lorenzinian-type ampullae (besides elasmobranchs) including lampreys, chimaeras, lungfish, sturgeons, paddlefish, and salamanders; gymnotiform and mormyrid detection of capacitive component of impedance. (6) The organization of some higher functions in the cerebellum and forebrain will gradually come to light.