Lateral line

The "Lateral line" is a band of sensory tissue running just beneath the skin along the length of most species of fish and sharks. There is usually a visible line or color marking on the skin to denote the location of this line. This highly sensitive tissue aids fish in detecting motion and vibration in the water...both as an aid to navigation in the dark and in turbid water...and also for detecting and locating prey in all conditions. Some species...notably sharks...have special receptors that also allow them to detect electromagnetic pulses from their prey. Many fish, such as largemouth bass and walleyes, are able to combine the use of their lateral lines with superior low light vision to hunt during even the darkest conditions.

In larger and older fish of several species, this tissue becomes a wide and thick layer of "red tissue" that is revealed when the fish is filleted and skinned. Since it often has a stronger taste than the lighter colored flesh, many anglers choose to remove the lateral line tissue before cooking. It can be easily sliced out with a sharp blade.

--TubeDude 09:10, 23 May 2008 (CDT)