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Researchers discover geckos' hidden sensory ability
Geckos use a mechanism normally associated with balance to sense vibrations.

The finding could provide new insights about how animals perceive sound.

US scientists have discovered a hidden sensory ability in geckos that calls into question established ideas about how animals hear.

Biologists at the University of Maryland found that geckos use the saccule, a part of their inner ear traditionally associated with balance, to detect low-frequency vibrations. This mechanism, a special “sixth sense”, complements the geckos' regular hearing and how they sense their environment.

The team believes this previously unrecognised hearing mechanism may also be present in other reptiles, challenging previously established beliefs about how animal sensory systems evolved.

Catherine Carr, a distinguished university professor of biology at UMD, explained: "The ear, as we know it, hears airborne sound. But this ancient inner pathway, typically linked to balance, helps geckos detect vibrations that travel through mediums like the ground or water.

"This pathway exists in amphibians and fish, and now it's proven to be preserved in lizards as well. Our findings shed light on how the auditory system evolved from what you see in fish to what you see in land animals including humans."

The saccule can sense subtle vibrations between 50 and 200 Hz – far less than geckos normally hear through their ears.

Scientists say this demonstrates how the saccule functions as a distinct yet complementary function to the geckos' regular hearing system. Although geckos can hear airborne sounds, many other reptiles lack this ability.

Study lead Dawei Han, a postdoctoral researcher and former graduate student at UMD, believes the identification of the saccule's role in gecko hearing could provide new insights into how animals considered to have limited hearing abilities behave and communicate.

"A lot of snakes and lizards were thought to be 'mute' or 'deaf' in the sense that they do not vocalize sounds or hear sounds well," said Han. "But it turns out they could potentially be communicating via vibrational signals using this sensory pathway instead, which really changes the way scientists have thought about animal perception overall."

The study, Auditory pathway for detection of vibration in the tokay gecko, is published in Current Biology.

Image (C) Shutterstock.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
RVC leads globally for Veterinary Science

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has retained its lead in Veterinary Science education in the QS World University Rankings 2025.

The college scored 100 for its Academic Reputation and increased its Employer Reputation to 91.7 points. It also maintained high scores for Citations per Paper and H-Index.

RVC says that its score recognises its students' employability and the institution's standing with employers. It also highlighted the impact that its graduates and alumni are making in the sector.

Stuart Reid CBE, president and principal of RVC, said: "We are dedicated to maintaining the teaching, learning and research that takes place at the RVC.

"I am delighted that the effort from all our staff and students has once again led to a great outcome in the QS rankings; it is a privilege we do not take for granted."

The full rankings can be found here.