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The musculature of the electric fish Eigenmannia virescens (South American green knife fish) characterized with cytochrome oxidase staining
Author(s) -
Behrend K.
Publication year - 1986
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.1095-8649.1986.tb04952.x
Subject(s) - biology , anatomy , staining , toadfish , trunk , fish fin , fish <actinopterygii> , cytochrome c oxidase , zoology , fishery , ecology , microbiology and biotechnology , mitochondrion , genetics
Using cytochrome C‐oxidase staining, different types of somatic musculature were clearly distinguished in the gymnotoid fish Eigenmannia virescens. Except for a few thin fibres in the region of the horizontal septum, which stained faintly, no others in the trunk muscle stained. Strong staining appeared in the fibres of the anal fin muscles. According to the classification of fish musculature into white, intermediate and red, only the locomotory organ of this fish has red fibres, whereas the trunk muscles are white. The red muscles along the horizontal septum, found in all other fish which have been investigated in this respect, seem to be absent. This is noteworthy since the anal fin alone provides locomotion while the trunk muscles are responsible for posture only.