Freshwater Vertebrates Research Articles

Diet of the Australian bass, Macquaria novemaculeata (Perciformes : Percichthyidae), in the Sydney Basin

Stomach contents of Australian bass, M. novemaculeata, sampled from the Hawkesbury River and Georges River in the Sydney Basin, New South Wales, between November 1977 and January 1982 were analysed by the occurrence and points methods. Stomach fullness was also recorded. A total of 143 aquatic and terrestrial animal taxa were present in the diet, and these were grouped into 19 food types for analysis. M. novemaculeata is a euryphagic carnivore. Season and habitat type had significant effects on composition of the diet. Insects were the most important food type, followed by fish and large crustaceans. A large proportion of the diet of bass was derived from allochthonous sources, mainly during summer, and especially in lotic habitats. Mean stomach fullness was highest in spring and lowest in winter. Young M. novernaculeata (TL 11-47 mm) from the Hawkesbury River estuary fed on far fewer prey taxa (mainly chironomids and copepods) than did adults. Dietary overlap occurs between M. novemaculeata and many other carnivorous freshwater vertebrates in the Sydney Basin. However, persistent competitive clashes are generally avoided, either by differences in microhabitat preference and feeding behaviour or by larger-scale habitat partitioning.

The Dreamtime animals: extinct megafauna in Arnhem Land rock art

Archaeology in OceaniaVolume 19, Issue 3 p. 105-116 Article The Dreamtime animals: extinct megafauna in Arnhem Land rock art Peter Murray, Peter Murray Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences, DarwinSearch for more papers by this authorGeorge Chaloupka, George Chaloupka Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences, DarwinSearch for more papers by this author Peter Murray, Peter Murray Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences, DarwinSearch for more papers by this authorGeorge Chaloupka, George Chaloupka Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences, DarwinSearch for more papers by this author First published: October 1984 https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1834-4453.1984.tb00089.xCitations: 23AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume19, Issue3October 1984Pages 105-116 RelatedInformation

Visual pigments in the four-eyed fish, Anableps anableps

The retinae of terrestrial and marine vertebrates generally contain the visual pigment, rhodopsin, whereas those of freshwater vertebrates contain porphyropsin1,2. The latter pigment absorbs light at longer wavelengths than rhodopsin and therefore has increased red sensitivity, which is possibly beneficial to animals living in water containing suspended particles since these may cause image degradation due to light scattering at short wavelengths. Many fish and amphibians have both types of pigment, and in some fish, the proportion of rhodopsin to porphyropsin is greater in the dorsal half of the retina3. In the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, the ventral retina contains only rhodopsin, whereas the dorsal retina has appreciable amounts of porphyropsin4. This may be attributable to the fact that the bullfrog often has only its eyes and nose protruding above the water surface, thus the dorsal part of the retina is used for aquatic vision and the ventral part for aerial vision. The ‘four-eyed’ fish, Anableps, is able to see simultaneously in air and water; it normally swims so that the eye is bisected by the water meniscus. Each eye has a single retina, but the dorsal part receives images from the water, and the ventral region receives aerial images5,6. Thus it has been suggested that the dorsal region should show more red dominance7, with porphyropsins being restricted to this area. We have measured the absorbance spectra of the photoreceptors, and report here that the same visual pigments are present in the dorsal and ventral regions of Anableps retina.

Blood Composition and Osmoregulation in Ammocoete Larvae

Ammocoetes of all species are typical stenohaline freshwater animals which are able to regulate their blood and tissue ions very efficiently although they live in a very dilute environment. They excrete osmotic water by a well-developed kidney, and water turnover is high. Nephron units are sequentially arranged and have similar differentiated segments to those of other freshwater vertebrates. Total ion loss is low so the kidney must conserve ions efficiently. Ion loss is compensated by an ion-uptake mechanism, probably located in the interplatelet area of the gills. Here, the cells contain a sodium carrier whose transport rate is regulated by internal and external sodium levels; also they have mechanisms for potassium and chloride uptake. Both the gills and kidney have ion transport type cells, but the skin does not. The gills are probably the main access route for water, ions, and lampricides. The freshwater mechanism of osmoregulation persists beyond metamorphosis and thereafter many lampreys become euryhaline, but ammocoetes are unable to osmoregulate in hypertonic solutions and show passive responses. The adults of anadromous species like Lampetra fluviatilis and Petromyzon marinus develop a marine osmoregulatory mechanism which is similar to that of marine teleosts, whilst freshwater species like the landlocked P. marinus of the Great Lakes and the dwarf brook lamprey, Lampetra planeri, show reduced capacities for osmoregulation in seawater.Key words: ammocoetes, lampreys, osmoregulation, blood composition, gills, ion fluxes, kidney, urine, water fluxes, ion compartments

A Radio-Telemetry Technique for Monitoring Temperatures from Unrestrained Ungulates

A Radio-Telemetry Technique for Monitoring Temperatures from Unrestrained Ungulates

Myxidium macrocheili n. sp. (Cnidospora: Myxidiidae) from the Largescale Sucker Catostomus macrocheilus Girard, and a Synopsis of the Myxidium of North American Freshwater Vertebrates*

SYNOPSIS. Myxidium macrocheili n. sp. is described from the gall bladder, bile and pancreatic ducts of Catostomus macrocheilus Girard (largescale sucker) in western Montana. This parasite is markedly host specific; the trophozoite is nonmotile, polysporous, spheroidal, elongated or irregular, often arched and rolled at the edges, and up to 2.5 mm in greatest length; the ecto‐ and endoplasm are distinct; the sporonts are disporoblastic. The bipolar spore is longitudinally striated, usually ellipsoidal in front view, slightly S‐shaped in side view, and averages 11.7 × 6.6 × 6.3 μ; the suture line and ridge are distinct; the polar filaments are coiled 4–6 times.An illustrated synopsis and a key of the 19 species and 10 unnamed forms of Myxidium of North American freshwater vertebrates are presented. At present members of the genus are known to infect fishes, amphibians and a single species of reptile on this continent.

Effect of Starvation and Refeeding on Some Liver and Blood Constituents of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua L.)

Changes in body weight, liver weight, liver glycogen, blood plasma pH, hematocrit, plasma protein, and glucose levels in the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) during feeding, fasting, and liver regeneration are recorded. Resting liver glycogen content (37 ± 7 mg/100 g liver) is much lower than in many terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates. There is a transient increase in liver glycogen (702 ± 188 mg/100 g liver) with resumed feeding after prolonged fasting. Average resting levels of plasma protein (4.66 ± 0.36% w/v), glucose (100 ± 4 mg/100 ml plasma) and hematocrit (23.2 ± 1.2% v/v) decreased during the initial stages of food depletion. A reversal of this trend resulting in apparent increased levels is observed in acute malnutrition. This is attributed to dehydration of plasma with consequent drop in the total blood volume. The steady increase in plasma pH (7.24–7.54) with the duration of fasting may be due to extensive deamination of tissue protein amino acids for gluconeogenesis.

Comparative Zone Electropherograms of Muscle Myogens and Blood Hemoglobins of Marine and Freshwater Vertebrates and Their Application to Biochemical Systematics

The muscle myogens of approximately 50 species of fishes, representing specimens from three (Elasmobranchii, Holocephali, Teleostomi) of the four living classes of fishes of the superclass, Gnathostomata, have been separated by starch gel zone electrophoresis. Evidence is presented for the virtual constancy and species specific nature of these myogen as well as their corresponding multiple hemoglobin patterns. The interspecific and intergeneric similarities of myogen patterns within any one family (Salmonidae as well as Scorpaenidae) were remarkably parallel with the existing morphometric classification. The same degree of relationship was not observed in the corresponding hemoglobin patterns. The usefulness of myogen, and less frequently, hemoglobin patterns for obtaining phylogenetic information as well as for species identification purposes is discussed.

Geography of Land and Freshwater Vertebrates

Geography of Land and Freshwater Vertebrates

Vertebrates of the United States

W. Frank Blair, P. Blair Albert, Pierce Brodkorb, Fred R. Cagle, George A. Moore. Vertebrates of the United States. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York. Pp. x + 819, illus. August 29, 1957. Price, $12.00. Years ago, Jordan's manual of the vertebrate animals of the northeastern united states served as a bible to students of vertebrate biology; its 13 editions attest to its usefulness, although the last printing (1929) was woefully out-of-date. Pratt's manual of the land and fresh water vertebrate animals later served a similar purpose, but the last revision (1935) has been unavailable since the late forties. This worthy successor comes at a particularly opportune time, when interest in the field is at a higher level than ever before. Vertebrates of the united states should more than adequately meet the needs of students and others for a taxonomic guide. Unlike its forerunners, this volume covers the entire vertebrate fauna of the whole country. All species occurring in the continental United States and its adjacent waters (excepting marine fishes and turtles) are considered; subspecies are not treated. Each class is dealt with by a qualified specialist and teacher: fishes by Moore (178 pp.), amphibians by A. P. Blair (59 pp.), reptiles by Cagle (84 pp.), birds by Brodkorb (353 pp.) and mammals by W. F. Blair (158 pp.). The senior author contributes a substantial Introduction …

THE HABITAT OF THE EARLY VERTEBRATES

SUMMARY On geochemical grounds it seems that the early Ordovician seas were very similar in salinity and ionic composition to seas at the present time. Physiological speculations based on the assumption of dilute sea water in the Ordovician oceans, especially those which relate the level of salts in vertebrate blood to that of these seas, are invalid. The first marine and freshwater vertebrates were probably subjected to the same physicochemical environmental stresses which affect present‐day fishes and the lower marine chordates. The earliest vertebrate remains are from the Ordovician and include problematical fish‐jaws (from Missouri, U.S.A.), plates and scales of heterostracans and coelolepids (from Colorado, U.S.A.), and teeth of acanthodian fish (from the neighbourhood of St Petersburg, Russia). All these remains are from marine sediments, associated with typical marine invertebrates in the first two cases. Ostracoderms and placoderms have been found in Silurian strata (including the Downtonian) in eight countries of Europe and in North America. The fossils comprise heterostracans, coelolepids, anaspids, osteostracans, acanthodians and arthrodires. Associated marine invertebrates are found with the vertebrate fossils in the vast majority of the records, and in no case is there any evidence that the ostracoderms and fishes lived otherwise than in the sea. Ostracoderms and bony fishes are represented in both marine and freshwater deposits of the Devonian period. A marine origin for the vertebrates is supported by the fact that the three protochordate groups, Hemichordata, Urochordata, and Cephalochordata, are marine. The members of the marine order Myxinoidea of the Cyclostomata have an internal medium of high salt concentration, equivalent to that of the surrounding sea water, a feature found in the lower chordates and in marine invertebrates. This may well be a primary feature, derived directly from marine chordate ancestors. Consideration of the glomerular kidneys of the marine myxinoids and elasmo‐branchs, forms with blood isosmotic with sea water, and of the kidneys of other fishes, leads to a rejection of the view that such kidneys are a freshwater adaptation which has arisen in some freshwater protovertebrate. Glomerular kidneys probably existed in marine protovertebrates, and subsequently became a useful preadaptation for life in fresh water. The arguments deemed to support a freshwater origin of vertebrates have been considered and rejected on the grounds that some are erroneous and others improbable. Palaeontological and physiological evidence leads to the conclusion that the vertebrates were originally a marine group.

The Effect of Vegetation on the Breeding of Newts, Molge cristata and Molge vulgaris

According to Stolte (192ia, b), in some aquatic oligochaetes (Naiads) sexual reproduction is governed by the oxygen given off by algae. Here there is an optimum, deficiency or superfluity of oxygen being unfavourable. Miyazaki (1938), dealing with oysters, has reported a substance contained in green algae which produces spawning in the male oyster. In the observed breeding -habits of fishes, there is frequent reference to association with aquatic vegetation. Among the fresh-water fishes for instance, sticklebacks, the bowfin (Boulenger, I93i) and the gourami (cited by Meek, I9I6) are known to make nests among water plants, while the common carp, Cyprinus carpio (Boulenger, 193I) and the European catfish, Silurus glanis (Meek, I 9 I 6), both deposit eggs on water plants. Among marine fishes wrasses and the Saragossa fish (Boulenger, 193I) nest among seaweed and the eggs of skates and rays are anchored among weeds. To these instances of the association of a special type of environment with the reproduction of aquatic animals I must add a casual observation of my own on a fresh-water vertebrate. I noticed, one spring, that common newts kept for some days in a gold-fish bowl with clean water and no weed made no attempt to spawn, but proceeded to deposit ova almost immediately after the introduction of the pond-weed Elodea canadensis. During the course of experiments shortly to be described and which are prompted by this casual observation, Dr Harding of the British Museum informed me that he had had a similar experience with Amblystoma. I quote from his letter with his permission. 'The female had been in the water for some months.... There was no weed in the pond. On the I2th of last month (June 1938) a lab. boy brought me some weed which I had placed in the water and on the I3th there were eggs! The male was still on land, but one presumes that, either he went in the water for a time or the female came out for him.' Finally, long after the completion of the investigations dealt with in this paper, there came to my notice an account by Van Nieuwenhoven & Lever (1946) of similar work carried out in Holland during the war. The Dutch workers found snails of the genus Limnaea kept in aquaria without water plants and fed regularly on lettuce reacted to the addition of water plants by producing eggs within a few hours. In the account that follows I give the results of experiments designed to test the importance of vegetation and associated factors on the reproduction of newts. These experiments were carried out in I936 and 1938 at Roman Hill Boys' School, Lowestoft, and they were only made possible by the help and close co-operation of the Headmaster, Mr W. H. Bleby, and two members of his staff, Mr Railston, in I936 and Mr Bentley in 1938. In addition, I include some experiments on a smaller scale which I made in 1937. I have also to thank Dr E. S. Russell, Dr J. P. Harding, and Dr C. F. A. Pantin for reading through the paper and for helpful suggestions in interpreting the results.

An Ecological Study of the Helminth Parasites of Amphibians and Reptiles of Western Massachusetts and Vicinity

Comparatively few species of helminth parasites have been described from New England fresh-water and terrestrial vertebrates. Practically nothing has been published concerning the ecology of such parasites. While associated with the Biology Department of Amherst College, Amherst, Mass., from 1936 to 1941, the writer carried on a survey of helminths of the more common species of vertebrates found in that region. Records were made of physical conditions of localities in which hosts were collected, position of worm in the host, condition of host, season, life cycles of parasites (when possible), etc., as well as the morphology and taxonomy of parasites found. Elucidation of several trematode life cycles resulted from this study (Rankin, 1939, 1939a, 1944, 1944a), in which type of life cycle was correlated with as many ecological factors as possible. The present paper summarizes and discusses the data obtained from examinations of amphibians and reptiles. Those for birds and mammals will appear in a later publication. A total of 262 hosts was examined, including 13 species of amphibians and six species of reptiles. From these animals, 27 species of helminth parasites were collected: 12 trematodes, 10 nematodes, 4 cestodes, and 1 acanthocephalan. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the assistance of former colleagues at Amherst College, particularly of Dr. 0. E. Schotte and Mr. Carl Holthausen, in the collection and care of animals studied.

Animal Life in Fresh Water: A Guide to Fresh-Water Vertebrates

Animal Life in Fresh Water: A Guide to Fresh-Water Vertebrates

(1) A Manual of the Common Invertebrate Animals, exclusive of Insects (2) A Manual of Land and Fresh Water Vertebrate Animals of the United States (exclusive of Birds)

(1) A Manual of the Common Invertebrate Animals, exclusive of Insects (2) A Manual of Land and Fresh Water Vertebrate Animals of the United States (exclusive of Birds)

A Manual of Land and Fresh Water Vertebrate Animals of the United States (Exclusive of Birds)

A Manual of Land and Fresh Water Vertebrate Animals of the United States (Exclusive of Birds)

A Manual of Land and Fresh Water Vertebrate Animals of the United States (Exclusive of Birds)

THE naturalist frequently finds that to learn to identify species is a most difficult task, and yet nothing is more important to his work. He finds that species are not separated merely on shape and colour, but on structural peculiarities which frequently are connected with particular habits. This is especially the case in vertebrate animals, which in Great Britain, with its very limited number of forms, may be identified in a haphazard manner by elimination. This is impossible in a country where different climatic areas interdigitate and where there are many species, as the United States, which for the purpose of the naturalist is a continent. Here Prof. H. S. Pratt “fills the bill “by his “Vertebrate Animals of the United States,” which, however, omits birds. A short account of each group is given, the anatomical features dividing it up into sub-groups and families being usually illustrated. Where neces-sary, special features for families are described and then follow keys to the genera, descriptions of the same and keys to their species. The whole closes with a good bibliography and a glossary of technical terms. The short descriptions of each species, with mention of their geographical distributions and habitats, are excellent, and the tabulation of the sub-species most useful. We learn that there are about 600 species of freshwater fishes, 70 of newts and 61 of frogs and toads we are given a key by which their tadpoles and eggs can be identified-300 reptiles and a wide series of mammals belonging to 9 orders. We characterise this publication as a book for ready reference, such as should be on the shelves of all American naturalists.

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:Economics of the Family, by C. W. Taber and Ruth A. Wardall, University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill.Sheet and Metal Work, by Marion S. Traw, Washington Junior High School, Rochester, New York.How to Teach Physics, by Rogers D. Rusk, Northwestern College, Naperville, Ill.General Science Syllabus, by J. C. Loevenguth, Allen Junior High School, Wichita, Kansas.How to Teach a Trade, by R. W. Selvidge, University of Missouri.Household Mechanics, by Earl L. Bedell, Detroit, Mich. Public School.Supplement to the New World? by Isaiah Bowmann, American Geographical Society.Elementary Electricity, by S. G. Starling, West Ham, Municipal College.The Boys' Own Hand Book, by Floyd L. Darrow, Polytechnic Preparatory Country Day School.A New Physics, by Arthur Haas, University of Leipzig. Translated by Robers W. Lawson.Pratt. “A Manual of Land and Fresh Water Vertebrate Animals of the United States.” 184 illustrations. Bibliography and Glossary.Eduation for Moral Growth, by Henry Neumann, Ethical Culture School, New York City.General Botany, an introductory text for colleges and advanced classes in secondary schools, by Edgar Nelson Tanseau, Professor of Botany, The Ohio State University.The Biology of Man and Other Organisms, by Henry R. Linville, Ph. D.