Processing of wave patterns in the lateral line system parallels to auditory processing.

Processing of wave patterns in the lateral line system is reviewed with particular reference to similarities with auditory processing. Four levels are considered: the receptor cell, stimulus parameter encoding in the afferent nerve, the neural organization of stimulus localization, and analysis of complex waves. The high degree of parallelism at all these levels to auditory processing is considered as a strong evidence for a common evolutionary origin of these two systems.