Low Temperature Limits Burst Swimming Performance in Antarctic Fish

1991 ◽  
pp. 179-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Johnston ◽  
T. P. Johnson ◽  
J. C. Battram
2003 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig E. Franklin ◽  
Robbie S. Wilson ◽  
William Davison

1989 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEPHEN D. ARCHER ◽  
IAN A. JOHNSTON

1. The kinematics of labriform and subcarangiform swimming have been investigated for juvenile (7–8 cm) and adult (27–30 cm) stages of the antarctic teleost Notothenia neglecta Nybelin at 1–2 °C 2. Upper threshold speeds using the pectoral fins alone (labriform swimming) were 0.8LS−1 in adult fish and 1.4Ls−1 in juveniles, where L is body length 3. In adult fish, steady subcarangiform swimming is only used at speeds of 3.6-5.4Ls−1 (tail-beat frequencies of 5.0-8.3Hz). Intermediate speeds involve unsteady swimming. In contrast, juvenile fish employ subcarangiform swimming at a range of intermediate velocities between the maximum labriform and burst speeds (2.3-8.4Ls−1 at tail-beat frequencies of 4.0-12.5 Hz). These differences in swimming behaviour are discussed in relation to changes in life-style and muscle fibre type composition between juvenile and adult fish 4. Burst swimming speeds in N. neglecta have been compared with equivalent data from temperate species. It seems likely that low temperature limits swimming performance in antarctic fish. This is more noticeable in juvenile stages, which normally have much higher tail-beat frequencies than adult fish


1989 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian A. Johnston

The structure and function of swimming muscles in Antarctic fish is reviewed, the emphasis being on the highly endemic sub-order Notothenioidei. Adult stages of the vast majority of species swim at low speeds using large pectoral fins (labriform locomotion). This is supplemented with sub-carangiform swimming in pelagic juvenile stages and in the adult stages of some other species. The thrust for sustained activity is provided by the recruitment of slow muscle fibres. Slow muscle myofibrils typically occur in columns one fibril thick entirely surrounded by mitochondria. The resulting high volume density of mitochondria (30–60%), and short inter-mitochondrial spacing, is thought to represent an adaptation which serves to compensate for the detrimental effects of low temperature on enzyme reaction and diffusion rates. Sub-carangiform swimming is used to achieve burst speeds associated with prey capture and/or predator avoidance. Burst speeds require the recruitment of fast twitch fibres in the myotomes. In many demersal species the energy supply for burst swimming largely comes from phosphogen hydrolysis, and the capacity of fast twitch fibres for anaerobic glycogenolysis is severely reduced. Antarctic fish are characterized by delayed maturation, slow growth and low metabolic rates. The fast myotomal muscles of adult stages often contain few fibres less than 80 μm diameter, fibres 200–450 μm diameter forming the major size class in numerous species. It is therefore likely that hyperplasia ceases at a relatively early stage in development and that subsequent muscle growth involves hypertrophy of existing fibres. Studies of the contractile properties of isolated muscle fibres suggest that low temperature limits maximum swimming performance in Antarctic fish. Kinematic data suggest that this is most noticeable for juvenile stages, which have higher maximum tail-beat frequencies than adults.


Biochemistry ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 2790-2798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robley C. Williams ◽  
John J. Correia ◽  
Arthur L. De Vries

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 680-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Garenc ◽  
Frederick G Silversides ◽  
Helga Guderley

Full-sib heritabilities of burst-swimming capacity and its enzymatic correlates were calculated in juvenile threespine sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, from 25 families raised under constant laboratory conditions. Variation among families in burst-swimming performance, enzyme activities, body size, and condition of the juveniles was considerable. Estimates of full-sib heritabilities of absolute and relative burst-swimming performance decreased during ontogenesis, as they were higher for 2-month-old than for 3.6-month-old sticklebacks. This decline may reflect a decrease in the importance of paternal effects with age, as well as an increase in intrafamilial variability due to the existence of feeding or social hierarachies. Enzymatic correlates of burst-swimming performance measured in 3.6-month-old sticklebacks had higher full-sib heritabilities than burst-swimming performance itself, with the highest values found for cytochrome c oxidase, followed by lactate dehydrogenase and then phosphofructokinase and creatine phosphokinase. These results suggest that genetic factors may have a considerable influence upon burst-swimming performance and muscle metabolic capacities of juvenile threespine sticklebacks, but that this influence may be tempered by biotic interactions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Deslauriers ◽  
J.D. Kieffer

Swimming performance and behaviour in fish has been shown to vary depending on the investigation method. In this study, an endurance swimming curve was generated for young-of-the-year shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum LeSueur, 1818) (~7 cm total length, ~2 g) and compared with values determined in a separate incremental swimming (critical swimming, Ucrit) test. Using video, tail-beat frequency (TBF) was quantified and compared for fish swimming under both swimming tests. From the endurance-curve analysis, it was found that sturgeon did not display a statistically significant burst swimming phase. Maximum sustainable swimming speed (calculated to be 18.00 cm·s–1) from the endurance curve occurred at ~80% of Ucrit (22.30 cm·s–1). TBF was similar at all speeds for both swimming tests, except at speeds approaching Ucrit, where fish displayed TBFs of 4.29 Hz for the endurance protocol and 2.26 Hz for the Ucrit protocol. TBF was more variable between individuals swimming at the same speed within the Ucrit compared with the endurance protocol. Finally, a significant negative correlation was found between TBF and Ucrit in individual fish, suggesting that station-holding may be an important energy saving strategy during swimming in this size class of sturgeon.


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