Golgi study of the telencephalon of the small-spotted dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula L.

The telencephalon of the small-spotted dogfish, Scyliorhinus canicula L., was examined by Nissl and Golgi-aldehyde techniques. On the basis of differences in perikaryal and dendritic morphology and size, several cell types were distinguished in pallial and subpallial regions, most of them reported here for the first time in elasmobranchs. In the pallium, the pallium dorsalis is the richest in cell types (eight types of neurons), whereas the neuron population of the pallium medialis is the most homogeneous. Dendrites of most neuron types in the pallium are smooth or sparsely thorny. Interestingly, the pallium dorsalis and pallium lateralis contain a type of primitive pyramidal cell characterized by the dense appearance of its thorny dendrites. In the subpallium, the area superficialis basalis contains a heterogeneous population (six types of neurons): large radial cells are the most characteristic cell type. Dendrites of these cell types are smooth or sparsely thorny. The cell populations of the nucleus N are roughly similar to those of the area superficialis basalis, but they lack the large radial cells characteristic of this area. The area centralis subpallialis and striatum consist of populations of small neurons. The regio septalis contains a rather homogeneous population of small cells. The populations in the nucleus entopeduncularis and the nucleus interstitialis of the basal forebrain bundle are the least varied and consist of large radial cells and bipolar cells similar to those of the area superficialis basalis. This investigation reveals important differences in cytoarchitecture that should be useful in the interpretation of immunocytochemical, tracing, and electrophysiological studies of the telencephalon of elasmobranchs.