WHEN the ampullæ of Lorenzini were first studied experimentally (see ref. 1), they were considered to be sensitive to mechanical stimuli like the other organs of the acoustico-lateralis system.

Ian, I love these, "The ampullae cells are developmentally related to the fluid sensing hair cells found in fish lateral lines and human ears. And one of the genes that's important for both hair cell ...

[A study of the lateral-line canals system and that of Lorenzini ampullae and tubules of elasmobranchiate fishes of China / by Yuanting T. Chu, Meng Ching Wen] Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.