title: Coupled ears in lizards and crocodilians.
abstract: Lizard ears are coupled across the pharynx, and are very directional. In consequence all auditory responses should be directional, without a requirement for computation of sound source location. Crocodilian ears are connected through sinuses, and thus less tightly coupled. Coupling may improve the processing of low-frequency directional signals, while higher frequency signals appear to be progressively uncoupled. In both lizards and crocodilians, the increased directionality of the coupled ears leads to an effectively larger head and larger physiological range of ITDs. This increased physiological range is reviewed in the light of current theories of sound localization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. cecarr@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5698-6014
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Christensen-Dalsgaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bierman
mesh_terms: D000489:Alligators and Crocodiles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003056:Cochlear Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D004423:Ear / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D008116:Lizards / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013017:Sound Localization
keywords: Alligator; Auditory; Barn owl; Lizard; Neural coding