scholarly journals Fishes can use axial muscles as anchors or motors for powerful suction feeding

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (18) ◽  
pp. jeb225649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariel L. Camp ◽  
Aaron M. Olsen ◽  
L. Patricia Hernandez ◽  
Elizabeth L. Brainerd
Keyword(s):  
Ictalurus Punctatus ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
The Body ◽  
Pectoral Girdle ◽  
Suction Feeding ◽  
Axial Muscles ◽  
X Ray Imaging ◽  
Oral Pressure ◽  
Volume Measurements ◽  
Epaxial Muscles

ABSTRACTSome fishes rely on large regions of the dorsal (epaxial) and ventral (hypaxial) body muscles to power suction feeding. Epaxial and hypaxial muscles are known to act as motors, powering rapid mouth expansion by shortening to elevate the neurocranium and retract the pectoral girdle, respectively. However, some species, like catfishes, use little cranial elevation. Are these fishes instead using the epaxial muscles to forcefully anchor the head, and if so, are they limited to lower-power strikes? We used X-ray imaging to measure epaxial and hypaxial length dynamics (fluoromicrometry) and associated skeletal motions (XROMM) during 24 suction feeding strikes from three channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). We also estimated the power required for suction feeding from oral pressure and dynamic endocast volume measurements. Cranial elevation relative to the body was small (<5 deg) and the epaxial muscles did not shorten during peak expansion power. In contrast, the hypaxial muscles consistently shortened by 4–8% to rotate the pectoral girdle 6–11 deg relative to the body. Despite only the hypaxial muscles generating power, catfish strikes were similar in power to those of other species, such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), that use epaxial and hypaxial muscles to power mouth expansion. These results show that the epaxial muscles are not used as motors in catfish, but suggest they position and stabilize the cranium while the hypaxial muscles power mouth expansion ventrally. Thus, axial muscles can serve fundamentally different mechanical roles in generating and controlling cranial motion during suction feeding in fishes.

scholarly journals Dual function of epaxial musculature for swimming and suction feeding in largemouth bass

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1919) ◽  
pp. 20192631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yordano E. Jimenez ◽  
Elizabeth L. Brainerd
Keyword(s):  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
The Body ◽  
Muscle Performance ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Dual Function ◽  
Suction Feeding ◽  
Live Prey ◽  
Regional Specialization ◽  
Axial Musculature

The axial musculature of many fishes generates the power for both swimming and suction feeding. In the case of the epaxial musculature, unilateral activation bends the body laterally for swimming, and bilateral activation bends the body dorsally to elevate the neurocranium for suction feeding. But how does a single muscle group effectively power these two distinct behaviours? Prior electromyographic (EMG) studies have identified fishes' ability to activate dorsal and ventral epaxial regions independently, but no studies have directly compared the intensity and spatial activation patterns between swimming and feeding. We measured EMG activity throughout the epaxial musculature during swimming (turning, sprinting, and fast-starts) and suction feeding (goldfish and pellet strikes) in largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ). We found that swimming involved obligate activation of ventral epaxial regions whereas suction feeding involved obligate activation of dorsal epaxial regions, suggesting regional specialization of the epaxial musculature. However, during fast-starts and suction feeding on live prey, bass routinely activated the whole epaxial musculature, demonstrating the dual function of this musculature in the highest performance behaviours. Activation intensities in suction feeding were substantially lower than fast-starts which, in conjunction with suboptimal shortening velocities, suggests that bass maximize axial muscle performance during locomotion and underuse it for suction feeding.

scholarly journals What Fish Can Teach Us about the Feeding Functions of Postcranial Muscles and Joints

2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 383-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariel L Camp
Keyword(s):  
Motor Function ◽  
Muscle Function ◽  
Vertebral Column ◽  
The Body ◽  
Pectoral Girdle ◽  
Suction Feeding ◽  
Feeding Behaviors ◽  
Major Transitions ◽  
Role Changes

Abstract Studies of vertebrate feeding have predominantly focused on the bones and muscles of the head, not the body. Yet, postcranial musculoskeletal structures like the spine and pectoral girdle are anatomically linked to the head, and may also have mechanical connections through which they can contribute to feeding. The feeding roles of postcranial structures have been best studied in ray-finned fishes, where the body muscles, vertebral column, and pectoral girdle attach directly to the head and help expand the mouth during suction feeding. Therefore, I use the anatomy and motion of the head–body interface in these fishes to develop a mechanical framework for studying postcranial functions during feeding. In fish the head and body are linked by the vertebral column, the pectoral girdle, and the body muscles that actuate these skeletal systems. The morphology of the joints and muscles of the cranio-vertebral and hyo-pectoral interfaces may determine the mobility of the head relative to the body, and ultimately the role of these interfaces during feeding. The postcranial interfaces can function as anchors during feeding: the body muscles and joints minimize motion between the head and body to stabilize the head or transmit forces from the body. Alternatively, the postcranial interfaces can be motors: body muscles actuate motion between the head and body to generate power for feeding motions. The motor function is likely important for many suction-feeding fishes, while the anchor function may be key for bite- or ram-feeding fishes. This framework can be used to examine the role of the postcranial interface in other vertebrate groups, and how that role changes (or not) with morphology and feeding behaviors. Such studies can expand our understanding of muscle function, as well as the evolution of vertebrate feeding behaviors across major transitions such as the invasion of land and the emergence of jaws.

Mediolateral somitic origin of ribs and dermis determined by quail-chick chimeras

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (21) ◽  
pp. 4611-4617 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Olivera-Martinez ◽  
M. Coltey ◽  
D. Dhouailly ◽  
O. Pourquie
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscles ◽  
Body Wall ◽  
Primitive Streak ◽  
Axial Skeleton ◽  
Lateral Compartment ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Lateral Part ◽  
Respective Contribution ◽  
Epaxial Muscles

Somites are transient mesodermal structures giving rise to all skeletal muscles of the body, the axial skeleton and the dermis of the back. Somites arise from successive segmentation of the presomitic mesoderm (PSM). They appear first as epithelial spheres that rapidly differentiate into a ventral mesenchyme, the sclerotome, and a dorsal epithelial dermomyotome. The sclerotome gives rise to vertebrae and ribs while the dermomyotome is the source of all skeletal muscles and the dorsal dermis. Quail-chick fate mapping and diI-labeling experiments have demonstrated that the epithelial somite can be further subdivided into a medial and a lateral moiety. These two subdomains are derived from different regions of the primitive streak and give rise to different sets of muscles. The lateral somitic cells migrate to form the musculature of the limbs and body wall, known as the hypaxial muscles, while the medial somite gives rise to the vertebrae and the associated epaxial muscles. The respective contribution of the medial and lateral somitic compartments to the other somitic derivatives, namely the dermis and the ribs has not been addressed and therefore remains unknown. We have created quail-chick chimeras of either the medial or lateral part of the PSM to examine the origin of the dorsal dermis and the ribs. We demonstrate that the whole dorsal dermis and the proximal ribs exclusively originates from the medial somitic compartment, whereas the distal ribs derive from the lateral compartment.

scholarly journals Hydrodynamic modelling of aquatic suction performance and intra-oral pressures: limitations for comparative studies

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (9) ◽  
pp. 507-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam Van Wassenbergh ◽  
Peter Aerts ◽  
Anthony Herrel
Keyword(s):  
Hydrodynamic Force ◽  
Ambient Pressure ◽  
Simple Relationship ◽  
Suction Feeding ◽  
Aquatic Animals ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Pharyngeal Cavity ◽  
Oral Pressure ◽  
Direct Indication ◽  
Suction Performance

The magnitude of sub-ambient pressure inside the bucco-pharyngeal cavity of aquatic animals is generally considered a valuable metric of suction feeding performance. However, these pressures do not provide a direct indication of the effect of the suction act on the movement of the prey item. Especially when comparing suction performance of animals with differences in the shape of the expanding bucco-pharyngeal cavity, the link between speed of expansion, water velocity, force exerted on the prey and intra-oral pressure remains obscure. By using mathematical models of the heads of catfishes, a morphologically diverse group of aquatic suction feeders, these relationships were tested. The kinematics of these models were fine-tuned to transport a given prey towards the mouth in the same way. Next, the calculated pressures inside these models were compared. The results show that no simple relationship exists between the amount of generated sub-ambient pressure and the force exerted on the prey during suction feeding, unless animals of the same species are compared. Therefore, for evaluating suction performance in aquatic animals in future studies, the focus should be on the flow velocities in front of the mouth, for which a direct relationship exists with the hydrodynamic force exerted on prey.

scholarly journals Bifunctional Role of the Sternohyoideus Muscle During Suction Feeding in Striped Surfperch, Embiotoca lateralis

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J J Lomax ◽  
T F Martinson ◽  
Y E Jimenez ◽  
E L Brainerd
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Muscle Power ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Lepomis Macrochirus ◽  
Muscle Length ◽  
Muscle Size ◽  
Suction Feeding ◽  
Shortening Velocity ◽  
Axial Muscle ◽  
Embiotoca Lateralis

Synopsis In ray-finned fishes, the sternohyoideus (SH) is among the largest muscles in the head region and, based on its size, can potentially contribute to the overall power required for suction feeding. However, the function of the SH varies interspecifically. In largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and several clariid catfishes, the SH functions similarly to a stiff ligament. In these species, the SH remains isometric and transmitts power from the hypaxial musculature to the hyoid apparatus during suction feeding. Alternatively, the SH can shorten and contribute muscle power during suction feeding, a condition observed in the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) and one clariid catfish. An emerging hypothesis centers on SH muscle size as a predictor of function: in fishes with a large SH, the SH shortens during suction feeding, whereas in fish with a smaller SH, the muscle may remain isometric. Here, we studied striped surfperch (Embiotoca lateralis), a species in which the SH is relatively large at 8.8% of axial muscle mass compared with 4.0% for L. macrochirus and 1.7% for M. salmoides, to determine whether the SH shortens during suction feeding and is, therefore, bifunctional—both transmitting and generating power—or remains isometric and only transmits power. We measured skeletal kinematics of the neurocranium, urohyal, and cleithrum with Video Reconstruction of Moving Morphology, along with muscle strain and shortening velocity in the SH and epaxial muscles, using a new method of 3D external marker tracking. We found mean SH shortening during suction feeding strikes (n = 22 strikes from four individual E. lateralis) was 7.2 ± 0.55% (±SEM) of initial muscle length. Mean peak speed of shortening was 4.9 ± 0.65 lengths s−1, and maximum shortening speed occurred right around peak gape when peak power is generated in suction feeding. The cleithrum of E. lateralis retracts and depresses but the urohyal retracts and depresses even more, a strong indicator of a bifunctional SH capable of not only generating its own power but also transmitting hypaxial power to the hyoid. While power production in E. lateralis is still likely dominated by the axial musculature, since even the relatively large SH of E. lateralis is only 8.8% of axial muscle mass, the SH may contribute a meaningful amount of power given its continual shortening just prior to peak gape across all strikes. These results support the finding from other groups of fishes that a large SH muscle, relative to axial muscle mass, is likely to both generate and transmit power during suction feeding.

scholarly journals First Occurrence of Eustrongylides spp. (Nematoda: Dioctophymatidae) in a Subalpine Lake in Northwest Italy: New Data on Distribution and Host Range

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 4171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasco Menconi ◽  
Maria Vittoria Riina ◽  
Paolo Pastorino ◽  
Davide Mugetti ◽  
Serena Canola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Host Range ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Ictalurus Punctatus ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Perca Fluviatilis ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Lepomis Gibbosus ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Subalpine Lake ◽  
The Mean

The genus Eustrongylides includes nematodes that infect fish species and fish-eating birds inhabiting freshwater ecosystems. Nematodes belonging to the genus Eustrongylides are potentially pathogenic for humans; infection occurs after the consumption of raw or undercooked fish. In the two-year period 2019–2020, a total of 292 fish belonging to eight species were examined for the occurrence of Eustrongylides spp. from Lake San Michele, a small subalpine lake in northwest Italy. The prevalence of infestation was 18.3% in Lepomis gibbosus, 16.7% in Micropterus salmoides, and 10% in Perca fluviatilis. The other five fish species (Ameiurus melas, Ictalurus punctatus, Squalius cephalus, Carassius carassius, and Scardinius erythrophthalmus) were all negative for parasite presence. There were no significant differences in prevalence between the three fish species (Fisher’s exact test; p = 0.744). The mean intensity of infestation ranged from 1 (M. salmoides and P. fluviatilis) to 1.15 (L. gibbosus), and the mean abundance ranged from 0.1 (P. fluviatilis) to 0.28 (L. gibbosus). There were significant differences in the infestation site between the four muscle quadrants (anterior ventral, anterior dorsal, posterior ventral, and posterior dorsal) and the visceral cavity (Kruskal–Wallis test; p = 0.0008). The study findings advance our knowledge about the distribution and host range of this parasite in Italy.

Effects of Cage Culture on Growth, Abundance, and Survival of Resident Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

1978 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raj V. Kilambi ◽  
James C. Adams ◽  
William A. Wickizer
Keyword(s):  
Stomach Content ◽  
Ictalurus Punctatus ◽  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Condition Factor ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Lepomis Macrochirus ◽  
Salmo Gairdneri ◽  
Cage Culture ◽  
Content Analyses ◽  
Culture Growth

Growth, population size, and survival of resident largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were estimated before, during, and after the cage culture of Salmo gairdneri and Ictalurus punctatus. Growth in length, length–weight relationship, and condition factor were similar among the periods; however, abundance and survival of largemouth bass increased through the 3 yr of investigation. Stomach content analyses showed that the bass fed on fishes (mostly Lepomis macrochirus), crayfish, insects, and zooplankton (predominantly entomostracans). Increase in the standing crops of L. macrochirus and entomostracans during the study periods have provided forage to the increased bass population and thus resulted in greater survival of the young and adult bass of the cage culture and postcage culture periods. Key words: largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, cage culture, growth, abundance, survival

scholarly journals Whole-Genome Sequencing of the Giant Devil Catfish, Bagarius yarrelli

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2071-2077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wansheng Jiang ◽  
Yunyun Lv ◽  
Le Cheng ◽  
Kunfeng Yang ◽  
Chao Bian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Ictalurus Punctatus ◽  
Genome Assembly ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Single Copy ◽  
The Body ◽  
Flesh Color ◽  
Fish Muscles ◽  
Freshwater Aquaculture

AbstractAs one economically important fish in the southeastern Himalayas, the giant devil catfish (Bagarius yarrelli) has been known for its extraordinarily large body size. It can grow up to 2 m, whereas the non-Bagarius sisorids only reach 10–30 cm. Another outstanding characteristic of Bagarius species is the salmonids-like reddish flesh color. Both body size and flesh color are interesting questions in science and also valuable features in aquaculture that worth of deep investigations. Bagarius species therefore are ideal materials for studying body size evolution and color depositions in fish muscles, and also potential organisms for extensive utilization in Asian freshwater aquaculture. In a combination of Illumina and PacBio sequencing technologies, we de novo assembled a 571-Mb genome for the giant devil catfish from a total of 153.4-Gb clean reads. The scaffold and contig N50 values are 3.1 and 1.6 Mb, respectively. This genome assembly was evaluated with 93.4% of Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs completeness, 98% of transcripts coverage, and highly homologous with a chromosome-level-based genome of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). We detected that 35.26% of the genome assembly is composed of repetitive elements. Employing homology, de novo, and transcriptome-based annotations, we annotated a total of 19,027 protein-coding genes for further use. In summary, we generated the first high-quality genome assembly of the giant devil catfish, which provides an important genomic resource for its future studies such as the body size and flesh color issues, and also for facilitating the conservation and utilization of this valuable catfish.

Comparative Learning Ability of Selected Fishes

1985 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 791-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel W. Coble ◽  
Gordon B. Farabee ◽  
Richard O. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Ictalurus Punctatus ◽  
Channel Catfish ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Lepomis Macrochirus ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Electrical Shock ◽  
Learned Behavior ◽  
Better Than

Fourteen species of freshwater fish were trained to execute a simple conditioned response in a shuttle box – to move in response to light to avoid an electrical shock. There was no relation between learning ability and phylogenetic position. Better learners included striped bass (Morone saxatilis), bigmouth buffalo (Ictiohus cyprinellus), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and northern pike (Esoxlucius) were poor learners. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and redbelly tilapia (Tilapia zilli) could not be trained. Some fish retained their learned behavior for months, although performance deteriorated with time. Older channel catfish learned better than juveniles, but there was no difference between juvenile and older largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Temperature (18–28 °C) and feeding level (ranging from starvation for 25 d to ad libitum) did not affect learning of channel catfish, but the protozoan disease, ichthyophthiriasis, and perhaps our treatment of fish for the disease retarded it.

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