Current
research in the lab examines seasonal and steroid-dependent changes in
the response properties and function of the adult auditory system in the
plainfin midshipman fish
(Porichthys notatus).
The
vocal midshipman fish has become a model for identifying the mechanisms
of auditory reception, neural encoding and vocal production shared by
all vertebrates. I use a combination of experimental approaches that include
neurophysiology, neuroendocrinology and behavioral studies to determine
how the vertebrate auditory system functions in natural ecological settings,
how the brain processes species-specific communication signals, and what
are the adaptive sensory mechanisms that are used by animals to optimize
a receiver’s sensitivity to the social signals used during communication.
Research
Projects and Interests:
-
Seasonal and steroid hormone effects on the response properties of the
auditory system in the plainfin midshipman fish
-
Ontogenetic changes in the response properties and function of auditory
and electrosensory systems
-
Otolithic endorgan projections of the auditory inner ear
- Neuroethology and life history adaptations of the elasmobranch electric sense and the teleost auditory system
Photos
of:
Field Collections (2007)
Field Collections (2005 - 2006): Summer
& Winter