Central Organization of Wave Localization in the Clawed Frog, Xenopus laevis

The central nervous organization of water wave localization in the clawed frog Xenopus laevis was investigated by performing behavioral tests on frogs that had various brain ablations. The criterion of localization was the orientation of response turns toward the origin of stimulus waves. After complete midbrain ablation, Xenopus still detected impinging waves but could not localize them. After thalamopretectal ablation, however, Xenopus localized waves with normal accuracy. Thus, wave localization can be accomplished in the brainstem, and the midbrain is necessary for it. After forebrain ablation, the frogs no longer responded to water waves, which shows that higher brain centers modulate localization. Tectal lesions that spared the ventrolateral tectum did not abolish localization. After unilateral extirpation of tectum and torus, all ipsilateral waves were localized, but contralateral waves were not. This indicates a functional chiasm for the determination of wave directions in the midbrain. Total localization failure after unilateral midbrain destruction demonstrates that wave localization also requires the ipsilateral motorial tegmentum. When wave localization was abolished, a residual correlation between stimulus directions and response angles remained.