Localization and seasonal variation of blue pigment (sandercyanin) in walleye (Sander vitreus)

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne F. Schaefer ◽  
Mark H. Schmitz ◽  
Vicki S. Blazer ◽  
Timothy J. Ehlinger ◽  
John A. Berges
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Blue Pigment ◽  
Sander Vitreus ◽  
Blue Color ◽  
Northwestern Ontario ◽  
Color Morphs ◽  
Anatomical Localization ◽  
Yellow Pigmentation

Several fish species, including the walleye (Sander vitreus), have “yellow” and “blue” color morphs. In S. vitreus, one source of the blue color has been identified as a bili-binding protein pigment (sandercyanin), found in surface mucus of the fish. Little is known about the production of the pigment or about its functions. We examined the anatomical localization and seasonal variation of sandercyanin in S. vitreus from a population in McKim Lake, northwestern Ontario, Canada. Skin sections were collected from 20 fish and examined histologically. Mucus was collected from 306 fish over 6 years, and the amount of sandercyanin was quantified spectrophotometrically. Sandercyanin was found solely on dorsal surfaces of the fish and was localized to novel cells in the epidermis, similar in appearance to secretory sacciform cells. Sandercyanin concentrations were significantly higher in fish collected in summer versus other seasons. Yellow and blue morphs did not differ in amounts of sandercyanin, suggesting that the observed blue color, in fact, arises from lack of yellow pigmentation in blue morphs. The function of the sandercyanin remains unclear, but roles in photoprotection and countershading are consistent with available data.

scholarly journals Seasonal feeding plasticity can facilitate coexistence of dominant omnivores in Neotropical streams

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayara P. Neves ◽  
Pavel Kratina ◽  
Rosilene L. Delariva ◽  
J. Iwan Jones ◽  
Clarice B. Fialho
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Diet Overlap ◽  
Isotopic Niche ◽  
Neotropical Streams ◽  
Feeding Plasticity ◽  
The Impact

AbstractCoexistence of ecomorphologically similar species in diverse Neotropical ecosystems has been a focus of long-term debate among ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Such coexistence can be promoted by trophic plasticity and seasonal changes in omnivorous feeding. We combined stomach content and stable isotope analyses to determine how seasonal variation in resource availability influences the consumption and assimilation of resources by two syntopic fish species, Psalidodon aff. gymnodontus and P. bifasciatus, in the Lower Iguaçu basin. We also tested the impact of seasonality on trophic niche breadth and diet overlap of these two dominant omnivores. Seasonal changes in resource availability strongly influenced the consumption and assimilation of resources by the two fish species. Both species exhibited high levels of omnivory, characterized by high diversity of allochthonous resources in the wet season. Terrestrial invertebrates were the main component of diet during this season. However, in the dry season, both species reduced their isotopic niches, indicating diet specialization. High diet overlap was observed in both seasons, but the isotopic niche overlap was smaller in the dry season. Substantial reduction in the isotopic niche of P. bifascistus and a shift toward aquatic invertebrates can facilitate coexistence during this season of resource shortage. Feeding plasticity allows omnivorous fish to adjust their trophic niches according to seasonality, promoting the exploitation of different resources during periods of greater resource diversity. This seasonal variation could be an important mechanism that contributes to the resource partitioning and coexistence of dominant omnivores in Neotropical streams.

Relationship between water transparency and walleye (Sander vitreus) muscle glycolytic potential in northwestern Ontario lakes

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (9) ◽  
pp. 1616-1623
Author(s):  
Nicholas B. Edmunds ◽  
Timothy J. Bartley ◽  
Amanda Caskenette ◽  
Frédéric Laberge ◽  
Kevin S. McCann
Keyword(s):  
Prey Size ◽  
Swimming Activity ◽  
Water Transparency ◽  
Sander Vitreus ◽  
Low Light ◽  
Northwestern Ontario ◽  
Ldh Activity ◽  
Glycolytic Potential ◽  
Stable Isotope Signatures ◽  
Aquatic Food

Piscivorous predators at the apex of aquatic food webs are thought to exhibit foraging behaviours that depend on environmental conditions. Walleye (Sander vitreus), for example, is a freshwater predator that is most active under low light conditions. This study examined walleye resource use and swimming activity across lakes located in northwestern Ontario representing a gradient of water transparency. Muscle glycolytic potential, an index of swimming activity, was estimated by the activity of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). We show that walleye white muscle LDH activity increased with lake water transparency, but that this relationship is not determined by the use of nearshore resources, estimated from δ13C stable isotope signatures, or by prey abundance. On the other hand, walleye muscle LDH activity decreased with increasing prey size, and prey size was larger in lakes of low water transparency. These results support a positive relationship between water transparency and swimming activity in walleye, with prey size as an important factor contributing to this effect.

scholarly journals Meta-Transcriptomic Analysis of RNAseq Data Reveals Pacu and Loach Fish with Unusually High Levels of Myoglobin Expression in Skeletal Muscles

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1130
Author(s):  
Rui-Yi Chen ◽  
Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu ◽  
Gilbert Audira ◽  
Bao Lou ◽  
Ming-Der Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Protein Expression ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Transcriptomic Analysis ◽  
Oxygen Binding ◽  
Putative Gene ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Rnaseq Data

Oxygen-binding proteins, such as myoglobin, hemoglobin, neuroglobin, and cytoglobin, play a role in oxygen binding and delivery to tissues. In icefish, the loss of myoglobin and hemoglobin genes has been reported to be an adaptive evolution event. This interesting finding prompted us to exam oxygen-binding protein expression in diverse fish species. Taking advantage of substantial RNAseq data deposited in the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) database, we adopted a meta-transcriptomic approach to explore and compare four oxygen-binding protein gene expression levels in the skeletal muscle of 25 diverse fish species for the first time. RNAseq data were downloaded from the NCBI Sequence Read Archive (SRA) database, and de novo assembly was performed to generate transcript contigs. The genes encoding oxygen-binding proteins were then identified by the BLAST search, and the relative expression level of oxygen-binding protein genes was normalized by the RPKM (Reads per Kilobase Million) method. By performing expression profiling, hierarchy clustering, and principal component analysis, pacu and loach fish were noticed by their high myoglobin expression levels in skeletal muscle tissues among 25 diverse fish species. In conclusion, we demonstrated that meta-transcriptomic analysis of RNAseq data is an informative approach to compare the oxygen-binding protein expression and putative gene expansion event in fish.

Maya Blue: An Unsolved Problem in Ancient Pigments

1962 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 557-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rutherford J. Gettens
Keyword(s):  
Unsolved Problem ◽  
Special Kind ◽  
Wall Painting ◽  
Blue Pigment ◽  
Blue Color ◽  
Southern Mexico ◽  
True Nature ◽  
Research Material ◽  
Maya Blue ◽  
Lime Plaster

AbstractThe early peoples of Southern Mexico decorated pottery and painted pictures on walls with a stable blue pigment which is not found elsewhere in the world. Investigation of this blue was started over 30 years ago, but still the true nature of the blue color principle is unknown. Since the blue cannot be destroyed by boiling nitric acid, it does not seem to be vegetable or organic in origin. It is quite unlike azurite or natural ultramarine or other blue minerals which were employed as sources of blue pigment by other ancient peoples. The main obstacle in the investigation is the extreme scarcity of research material. The only samples of the blue available for testing are thinly painted films on potsherds and on wall painting fragments where it is mixed with lime plaster and other impurities. Although attempts to procure lump specimens of the blue, even in gram quantitives, have failed, some progress has been made. It is now known that the inorganic base of the blue pigment is a clay mineral called attapulgite. Ordinary attapulgite is nearly colorless. We still do not know what makes the clay blue; whether it is a special kind of attapulgite or if the Maya produced it artifically. In this paper all the evidence accumulated to date is reviewed.

scholarly journals Diet and niche breadth and overlap in fish communities within the area affected by an Amazonian reservoir (Amapá, Brazil)

2014 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 383-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
JÚLIO C. SÁ-OLIVEIRA ◽  
RONALDO ANGELINI ◽  
VICTORIA J. ISAAC-NAHUM
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Null Model ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
River Damming ◽  
Standard Configuration ◽  
Feeding Resources

We investigated the niche breadth and overlap of the fish species occurring in four environments affected by the Coaracy Nunes reservoir, in the Amapá Brazilian State. Seasonal samples of fishes were taken using a standard configuration of gillnets, as well as dragnets, lines, and castnets. Five hundred and forty stomach contents, representing 47 fish species were analyzed and quantified. Niche breadth and overlap were estimated using indexes of Levins and Pianka, respectively, while interspecific competition was evaluated using a null model (RA3). ANOVA and the KruskalWallis test were used, respectively, to evaluate differences in niche breadth and overlap between areas. The data indicate that the majority of the fish species belong to the piscivore, omnivore, and detritivore guilds. These species have likely colonized the environments due to the availability of suitable feeding resources, and the favorable physical conditions created by the river damming. Overall, few species have ample niches, but most of them are highly specialized. Resources seasonal variation had little effect on the feeding behavior of most species in the study areas. The null models indicated that competition was not a factor determining on community structure.

scholarly journals SEASONAL VARIATION OF HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATIONS IN FISH IN OGUTA LAKE, NIGERIA

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 2929-2936
Author(s):  
C.I.A Nwoko ◽  
L.N. Ukiwe ◽  
U. U Egereonu
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry ◽  
World Health ◽  
Absorption Spectrophotometry ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
High Level

Concentrations of heavy metals iron (Fe), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As), were determined in the head of four fish species, namely, Trachinotus goreensis, Clarias anguillaris, Synodontis membranaceous, and Tilapia zilli, in Oguta Lake, Nigeria. Result obtained from analyses using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) revealed that Fe (13.309 mg/l) was the highest metal accumulated by the fish (S. membranaceous) in October, while Hg and As were not detected in all the fish species except in July where 0.003 and 0.005mg/l of As were detected in the fish species (T. zilli and C. anguillaris), and November where 0.001 mg/l of As was also detected in S. membranaceous. The distribution of HMs in the fish species revealed that, overall, Fe was the highest metal accumulated by the fish species, C. membranaceous, followed by T. goreensis. This high level of Fe accumulated by the fish species may be attributed to the fact that Fe occur at high levels in organic matter at the bottom of the Lake. So being typical bottom dwellers, the fish species were more exposed to the metal. Heavy metals were higher (not significantly) during the dry season than the rainy season. Statistically, however, seasonal variation didn’t significantly influence the accumulation of HMs by the fish species. The levels of heavy metals examined in the present study were below maximum permissible limits set by World Health Organization (WHO), indicating that the Oguta Lake is not polluted by heavy metals.

scholarly journals Sulfur K-edge micro- and full-field XANES identify marker for preparation method of ultramarine pigment from lapis lazuli in historical paints

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (18) ◽  
pp. eaay8782
Author(s):  
Alessa A. Gambardella ◽  
Marine Cotte ◽  
Wout de Nolf ◽  
Kokkie Schnetz ◽  
Rob Erdmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Nonnegative Matrix ◽  
Blue Pigment ◽  
Blue Color ◽  
Edge Structure ◽  
Full Field ◽  
Ultramarine Blue ◽  
Heat Treated ◽  
X Ray Absorption ◽  
Lapis Lazuli

Ultramarine blue pigment, one of the most valued natural artist’s pigments, historically was prepared from lapis lazuli rock following various treatments; however, little is understood about why or how to distinguish such a posteriori on paintings. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy at the sulfur K-edge in microbeam and full-field modes (analyzed with nonnegative matrix factorization) is used to monitor the changes in the sulfur species within lazurite following one such historically relevant treatment: heating of lapis lazuli before extracting lazurite. Sulfur signatures in lazurite show dependence on the heat treatment of lapis lazuli from which it is derived. Peaks attributed to contributions from the trisulfur radical—responsible for the blue color of lazurite—increase in relative intensity with heat treatment paralleled by an intensified blue hue. Matching spectra were identified on lazurite particles from five historical paint samples, providing a marker for artists’ pigments that had been extracted from heat-treated lapis lazuli.

scholarly journals Production of a Blue Pigment (Glaukothalin) by MarineRheinheimeraspp.

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Peter Grossart ◽  
Marc Thorwest ◽  
Inken Plitzko ◽  
Thorsten Brinkhoff ◽  
Meinhard Simon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wadden Sea ◽  
Pigment Production ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Blue Pigment ◽  
Molecular Formula ◽  
Blue Color ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Phylogenetic Groups ◽  
Deep Blue

Twoγ-Proteobacteriastrains, that is, HP1 and HP9, which both produce a diffusible deep blue pigment, were isolated from the German Wadden Sea and from the Øresund, Denmark, respectively. Both strains affiliate with the genusRheinheimera. Small amounts of the pigment could be extracted from HP1 grown in a 50 L fermenter and were purified chromatographically. Chemical analysis of the pigment including NMR and mass spectrometry led to a molecular formula ofC34H56N4O4(m.w. 584.85) which has not yet been reported in literature. The molecule is highly symmetrically and consists of two heterocyclic halves to which aliphatic side chains are attached. The pigment has been named glaukothalin due to its blue color and its marine origin (glaukos,gr.=blue,thalatta,gr.=sea). Production of glaukothalin on MB2216 agar plates by ourRheinheimerastrains is affected in the presence of other bacterial strains either increasing or decreasing pigment production. The addition of a single amino acid, arginine (5 gl−1), greatly increases pigment production by ourRheinheimerastrains. Even though the production of glaukothalin leads to inhibitory activity against three bacterial strains from marine particles, ourRheinheimeraisolates are inhibited by various bacteria of different phylogenetic groups. The ecological role of glaukothalin production byRheinheimerastrains, however, remains largely unknown.

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