Hypoxia‐induced developmental plasticity of the gills and air‐breathing organ of Trichopodus trichopterus. Issue 3 (6th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Blank, T.; Burggren, W.
• Is Part Of: Journal of fish biology. Volume 84:Issue 3(2014)
• Page Start: 808
• Page End: 826
• Publication Date: 2014-02-06
• Subjects: Fishes -- Periodicals; Fishes -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 597
• DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12319
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1112

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jfb12319-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p id="jfb12319-para-0001">The air‐breathing blue gourami <italic>Trichopodus trichopterus</italic>, an anabantid with a suprabranchial labyrinth organ, was used to study morphological development of respiratory systems in response to chronic hypoxia (13% O₂, combined aquatic and aerial hypoxia). Overall growth (fork length, wet mass and cutaneous surface area) of <italic>T. trichopterus</italic> did not differ between control fish and those reared in hypoxia. Both lamellar and labyrinth surface areas of the hypoxic larvae, however, increased more rapidly than controls, producing <italic>c</italic>. 16% larger lamellar and 30% larger labyrinth mass‐specific surface areas within the first 120 days of development. This is the first study to show developmental respiratory plasticity of a bimodally respiring fish. It reveals that chronic hypoxia stimulates development of the gills and air‐breathing organ, and that labyrinth growth is even more sensitive to hypoxia than branchial growth.</p> </abstract>