Oxygen consumption and gill water flow in the dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula L.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Determinations of the standard oxygen consumption of the dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula, by several different methods, gave values in the range of 20-55 c.c./kg./hr. at 12° C. When the rate of water flow over the resting fish is increased, there is an increase in oxygen consumption, but no marked change in respiratory frequency at the flow rates studied. An increase of respiratory frequency took place when the of the inspired water was reduced. The ventilation volume of the dogfish was measured by collecting the water in chambers after it had passed over the gills. The resting ventilation volume was about 120 c.c./min./kg. at 12° C. The relationship between the flow across the gills and the imposed hydrostatic pressure gradient (Δp) showed a linear relationship. The fish was unable to continue pumping water across the gills against adverse gradients in excess of 0·7 cm. H2O. When the flow across the gills was relatively low, utilization of oxygen of at least 70% was observed, but with increasing flow rates this fell to between 40 and 50%.