Meeting Abstract

P3-20   -   Auditory sensitivity in embryonic and newly hatched little skates (Leucoraja erinacea) Hall, LM*; Putland, RL; Mensinger, AF; University of Minnesota - Duluth and Marine Biological Laboratory; Centre for Environment and Fisheries and Aquaculture Science; University of Minnesota - Duluth and Marine Biological Laboratory hall1722@d.umn.edu

Relatively little is known about elasmobranch auditory sensitivity especially during development in their egg cases and shortly after hatching. The little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) is rapidly becoming a model organism because it is easily raised in the lab which provides access to the developing embryo in the egg cases. Changes in auditory sensitivity of little skates post-hatching were examined using auditory evoked potential (AEP) recordings. The skates responded to pure tones from 100 to 300 Hz which was similar to adult little skates. Auditory sensitivity was detectable at 200 Hz at approximately 145 dB re. 1 μPa the first week post-hatching and increased in sensitivity and frequency range during the first seven weeks post-hatching with some skates reacting to 138 dB re. 1 μPa. To assess auditory sensitivity during development, a behavioral assay was developed that took advantage of stage 32 and 33 skates’ tail beating that aids in respiration while in the egg case. Approximately 60% of embryos displayed noticeable cessation of tail beating when presented with 200 Hz sound indicating that embryonic skates can detect sound prior to hatching. The behavioral results provided further reinforcement that behavioral studies are more sensitive than AEP recordings. This research provides groundwork for future studies examining the role auditory sensitivity plays in skate predator-prey interactions or the impacts of anthropogenic sound. Funding by the National Science Foundation (Biological Discovery in Woods Hole at the Marine Biological Laboratory - NSF REU Award # 1950380)