Zebrafish inner ear sensory surfaces are similar to those in goldfish

The inner ear of the zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) is very similar to that of the goldfish in its structural details, including the distribution and orientation of mechanosensory hair cell populations. Both species have been used in studying different aspects of the acoustic startle response. These structural similarities suggest that the zebrafish is a valid representative model for understanding peripheral hearing specializations in otophysan fishes.