Ascending lateral line pathways to the midbrain of the clearnose skate,Raja eglanteria

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Abstract
Efferent projections of the electroreceptive dorsal and the mechanoreceptive intermediate octavolateralis nuclei were revealed, in the brain of the clearnose skate Raja eglanteria, by means of silver degeneration and autoradiographic methods. Efferents from each nucleus give rise to ipsilateral and contralateral lemnisci and commissural components. Commissural fibers terminate within their respective nuclei of the opposite side. The lemnisci from each nucleus parallel each other as they course from medullary to mesencephalic levels; those from the dorsal nucleus assume a lateral position and terminate within the lateral part of the nucleus of the lateral line lemniscus and the lateral nucleus of the midbrain; those from the intermediate nucleus assume a medial position and terminate within the medial part of the lateral line lemniscal nucleus and the dorsomedial mesencephalic nucleus. A substantial number of fibers of each class course through the mesencephalic nuclei and terminate bilaterally within the central tectal zone. The segregation of electroreceptive and mechanoreceptive information is maintained from medullary to mesencephalic levels although there probably is convergence within the central tectal zone and the magnocellular nucleus, the only octaval center to receive terminals from secondary lateral line fibers.