Presence of Blood Antigens in Fish Mucus and its Possible Parasitological Significance

Abstract

WE have recently shown in this laboratory that each species of fish appears to secrete its own specific mucus1. The differences between mucus from various species can be detected by chromatographic methods. With closely related species, like Sebastes marinus L. and S. mentella Travin, several types of chromatographic technique may be required in order to detect any difference between the two forms of mucus2. At present we know very little about the nature of this species specificity of the mucus. Some of the chromatographically separable components fluoresce on exposure to ultra-violet radiation and some are ninhydrin-positive.