An atlas of the brain of the electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus

Abstract

This atlas consists of a set of six macrophotographs illustrating the important external landmarks of the apteronotid brain, as well as 54 transverse levels through the brain stained with cresyl violet. There are 150 microns between levels and the scales have 1 mm divisions (100 microns small divisions). In general the neuroanatomy of this brain is similar to that of other teleosts except that all parts known to be concerned with electroreception are greatly hypertrophied (electrosensory lateral line lobe, nucleus praeminentialis, caudal lobe of the cerebellum, torus semicircularis dorsalis, optic tectum and nucleus electrosensorius). There are other regions of this brain which are hypertrophied or which have not been described in other teleosts, but which are not known to be directly linked to the electrosensory/electromotor system; these regions are mentioned in the accompanying text.