Abstract
The skin of the Norfolk spot, Leiostomus xanthurus, is composed largely of a crossed-helical array of collagen fibers. Over most of the body of the fish these are oriented at angles of 45-80° with the long axis of the fish. The skin of the skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, also contains a crossed-helical array of collagen fibers, although fewer fiber layers are present and fiber angles are generally in the range of 55-75°. Uniaxial stress-strain tests indicate that for both species skin is most extensible in the longitudinal direction. For the Norfolk spot, skin is stiffer in the direction of the fibers than in the circumferential direction, but for the skipjack tuna, the skin is of about the same stiffness in the circumferential direction as it is in the direction of the fibers. Biaxial stressing tests demonstrate that the skins of the spot and the skipjack do not behave as simple crossed-fiber systems, and are therefore incapable of transmitting forces down the lengths of these fishes or acting as "external" tendons.
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