Abstract
The morphology of the throat barbels of Cirrhoscyllium japonicum is described in detail. Each barbel is supported by a basal cartilage and a cartilaginous core, and innervated by ramus mandibularis externus from truncus hyomandibularis VII. Neither muscles nor taste buds or other sensory receptors are associated with the barbels, which are thought to function as sensory organs, responding to physical or mechanical stimulation. Comparison of the throat barbels with head appendages found in related shark groups suggests that the former are not homologous with any of the latter, but are better interpreted as an autapomorphic character of the genus Cirrhoscyllium.
