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Changes in body musculature with sexual maturation in the European eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.)
Author(s) -
Pankhurst N. W.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1982.tb02847.x
Subject(s) - sexual maturity , biology , japanese eel , anatomy , fish <actinopterygii> , lipid droplet , zoology , endocrinology , fishery , microbiology and biotechnology , botany , japonica
The structure and distribution of red and white muscles have been investigated in female Anguilla anguilla of varying sexual maturity. Red muscle volumes increased with sexual maturation from approximately 5% of total muscle volume in sexually immature eels to a maximum of 13.3% in sexually maturing animals. Volume increase was due to increasing fibre diameter rather than recruitment of new fibres. Intracellular volume fractions of lipid and mitochondria increased markedly in maturing fish. Artificially matured cels showed the largest increases in muscle lipid. The possible functional roles of red and white muscle during migration are discussed.