Beschreibung:
<jats:p>A recent survey lists more than 100 papers utilizing the auditory evoked potential (AEP) recording technique for studying hearing in fish. More than 90% of these AEP-studies were published after Kenyon et al. introduced a non-invasive electrophysiological approach in 1998 allowing rapid evaluation of hearing and repeated testing of animals. Applying and further developing the AEP-technique enabled the investigation of a wide range of scientific questions. First, it was possible to describe and compare basic hearing abilities in a large number of species. Subsequently, the ontogenetic development of hearing as well as the influence of various accessory hearing structures (Weberian ossicles and swimbladder) were studied. The technique was also successfully utilized to analyze the temporal resolution ability of the auditory system. The AEP-technique is suitable for studying threshold shifts after exposure to (TTS) and in the presence of (masking) various noise types (white, ambient, and anthropogenic). Comparison of AEP-audiograms with sound spectra, along with the analysis of AEPs in response to conspecific sounds, enabled us to assess the ability to communicate acoustically in general, and during ontogeny and in the presence of noise in particular. Finally, various factors potentially influencing hearing such as temperature, albinism, and cave dwelling were investigated. [Work supported by the FWF.]</jats:p>