Physiology
The saccule gathers sensory information to orientate the body in space. It primarily gathers information about linear movement in the vertical plane. The structures that enable the saccule to gather this vestibular information are the hair cells.
Not much is known of how this organ is used in other species. Research has shown, like songbirds, females in some species of fish show seasonal variation in auditory processing and the sensitivity of the the saccule of females peaks during the breeding season. This is due to an increase in the density of saccular hair cells, partly resulting from reduced apoptosis.
Read more about this topic: Saccule
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