bright spots tokay gecko (gecko gecko) Apparently, he has a hidden talent for senses similar to a “sixth sense.” Geckos can detect low-frequency vibrations using a part of their inner ear called the saccule, which is involved in maintaining balance and body position. This special sense plays a complementary role in their normal hearing and how they perceive the world. It may also be present in other reptile species. For more information on the survey results, please visit The study was published Oct. 4 in the journal current biology.
“As we know, the ear hears sounds in the air. But this ancient internal pathway is usually associated with balance and allows geckos to sense vibrations traveling through media such as the ground or water. ,” says study co-author Katherine Kerr, a biologist at the University of Maryland. stated in a statement. “This pathway is present in amphibians and fish, and we now have evidence that it is conserved in lizards. It revealed how things evolved.”
Geckos are masters of balance and can cling to walls. sticky hair line up their feet, toe pad. Internally, sacculecan detect weak vibrations in the range of 50-200Hz. This spectrum is much lower than what geckos can normally hear with just their ears. According to the teamwhich means that the saccule likely serves a separate but complementary function to the auditory system.
To investigate this pathway, the team looked at how the auditory system works. Responding to different stimuli in the laboratory. Here they observed how the saccule helps pick up these sounds.
Unlike other reptiles, geckos can actually hear airborne soundor sound that travels through the air in the form of sound waves as well as vibrations. Elucidating the role of the saccule in gecko hearing could lead to a better understanding of communication and behavior in other animals, which were previously thought to be more restricted.
“Many snakes and lizards were thought to be ‘dumb’ or ‘deaf’ in the sense that they could not make sounds or hear sounds very well,” said study co-author. said Dawei Han, a former University of Maryland graduate student. stated in a statement. “But it turns out that animals could potentially be using this sensory pathway to communicate via vibrational signals. This has revolutionized the way scientists think about animal perception as a whole. Ta.”
This sensory pathway, common to modern reptiles, provides biologists with clues to how vertebrate sensory systems evolved. The transition from aquatic to terrestrial environments likely involved changes in auditory mechanisms that were more gradual and complex than scientists previously thought.
Although these findings are not directly related to human hearing, the research team believes there are some similarities.
“Think about being at a live rock concert,” Kerr says. “The sound is so loud that you can feel your entire head and body vibrating within the sound field. You can feel the music, not just hear it. This sensation is similar to that experienced during loud concerts. This suggests that the human vestibular system may be stimulated, which means that the human sense of hearing and balance may also be closely related.”
The researchers hope that these findings will spur research into mammalian hearing, and specifically how this sensory pathway works. This well-established relationship between hearing and balance may also open up several new research avenues involving the relationship between hearing and balance. Hearing impairment and balance disorder In humans.
“The implications of this research extend beyond the reptile world,” Han said. “As we uncover these hidden mechanisms, we will gain a richer and more nuanced picture of how animals perceive and interact with their environments, potentially influencing our own sensory experiences.” You can also gain new insights about
