neuromast

…a series of mechanoreceptors called neuromasts (lateral line organs) arranged in an interconnected network along the head and body. This network is typically arranged in rows; however, neuromasts may also be organized singly. At its simplest, rows of neuromasts appear on the surface of the skin; however, for most fishes,…

…organ, called a sense-hillock or neuromast, consists of a cluster of pear-shaped sensory cells surrounded by long, slender supporting cells. The sense hairs on top of the sensory cells project into a jellylike substance (the cupula) that bends in response to water displacement. The cupula stands freely in the surrounding…

… (hearing and equilibrium) and the lateral-line organs (vibration and pressure). The latter, situated in rows along the head and body, are retained in fish but disappear in the land vertebrates.