Ultrastructure of free neuromasts of Bathygobius fuscus (gobiidae) and canal neuromasts of Apogon cyanosoma (apogonidae).

Light and electron microscopic observations were made on the lateral line organs of the free neuromasts of the goby Bathygobius fuscus and the canal neuromasts of the cardinal fish Apogon cyanosoma. As in other lateral line systems, each neuromast consists of hair cells, supporting cells and mantle supporting cells, the whole being covered by a cupula. In B. fuscus the free neuromasts are mounted on papillae and have hair cells with stereocilia up to 2.5 μm long and a single kinocilium at least 25 μm long. Each neuromast is covered by a vane-like cupula that can be divided into two regions. The central region over the sensory area contains columns of myelin-like figures. These figures are absent from the outer region covering the mantle. The canal neuromasts of A. cyanosoma are diamond-shaped with up to 1,500 hair cells. The cupula is unusual in having a channel that lies over the sensory region. The hair cells have up to 45 stereocilia, the tallest reaching 2.5 μm, and a kinocilium at least 5 μm long. Tip links are shown for the first time between rows of stereocilia of the hair cells of lateral line neuromasts. The presence of tip links has now been demonstrated for all acousticolateral hair cell systems.