Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T23:04:54.842Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Seasonal changes in the epidermis of the winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 October 2009

D. Burton  and
G. L. Fletcher
D. Burton
Affiliation:
Marine Sciences Research Laboratory and Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1C 5S7
G. L. Fletcher
Affiliation:
Marine Sciences Research Laboratory and Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1C 5S7
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Profound cyclical changes were observed in the epidermal thickness and in the concentrations of goblet cells and epidermal melanophores in an inshore population of winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus Walbaum. There is sexual dimorphism which is particularly prominent in the thickness of the epidermis during the pre-spawning period in the spring. At this time the male develops a significantly thicker lower epidermis. During and shortly after the spawning period (lower skin), or somewhat earlier (upper skin), there is a significant thinning of the epidermis in both sexes. Significant increases occur in goblet cell frequency, those of females being greater than males, during autumn and early winter and the April/May pre-spawning period. Goblet cell frequencies decrease in mid-winter (January–March) when general activity is low, and in the thin summer epidermis. These observations are compared with data from other teleosts and discussed in relation to hormones possibly affecting the epidermal structure of teleosts and in relation to known hormonal cycles in winter flounder.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 63 , Issue 2 , May 1983 , pp. 273 - 287
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Ball, J. N., 1969. Prolactin (fish prolactin or paralactin) and growth hormone. In Fish Physiology, vol. 11 (ed. Hoar, W. S. and Randall, D. J.), pp. 207–240. Academic Press.Google Scholar
Benjamin, M., 1980. A correlation between pituitary and integumentary structure in the nine-spined stickleback, Pungitius pungitius L. Acta zoologica, 61, 105–109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BlÜM, V. & Fiedler, K., 1972. Der Einfluss von Prolaktin und Gonadotropinen auf die Haut einiger Mittelmeerfische. Zoologische Jahrbücher (Abteilung für Allgemeine Zoologie und Physiologie der Tiere), 76, 324–339.Google Scholar
Bullock, A. M. & Roberts, R. J., 1975. The dermatology of marine teleost fish. I. The normal integument. Oceanography and Marine Biology, an Annual Review, 13, 383–411.Google Scholar
Bullock, A. M., Roberts, R. J. & Gordon, J. D. M., 1976. A study on the structure of the whiting integument (Merlangius merlangus L..). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 56, 213–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burton, D., 1978. Melanophore distribution within the integumentary tissues of two teleost species, Pseudopleuronectes americanus and Gasterosteus aculeatus form leiurus. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 56, 526–535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burton, D., 1979. Sexual dimorphism in the integumentary tissues of three-spine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus form leiurus. Copeia, 1979, 533–535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burton, D., 1981. Physiological responses of melanophores and xanthophores of hypophysectomized and spinal winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus Walbaum. Proceedings of the Royal Society (B) 213, 217–231.Google Scholar
Campbell, C. M., Walsh, J. M. & Idler, D. R., 1976. Steroids in the plasma of the winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus Walbaum). A seasonal study and investigation of steroid involvement in oocyte maturation. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 29, 14–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eales, J. G. & Fletcher, G. L., 1982. Circannual cycles of thyroid hormones in plasma of winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus Walbaum). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 60, 304–309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Feltham, L. A. W. & Squires, E. J., 1981. Studies on Nє (y-glutamyl) lysine isodipeptide in the male winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus). Abstracts of the Annual meeting of Canadian Federation of Biological Societies, McGill University, Montreal, 24, 164.Google Scholar
Fletcher, G. L., 1977. Circannual cycles of blood plasma feezing point and Na+ and Cl− concentrations in Newfoundland winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus): correlation with water temperature and photoperiod. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 55, 789–759.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fletcher, G. L. & King, M. J., 1978. Seasonal dynamics of Cu2+, Zn2+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ in gonads and liver of winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus): evidence for summer storage of Zn2+ for winter gonad development in females. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 56, 284–290.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoar, W. S., 1951. Hormones in fish. In Some Aspects of the Physiology of Fish (ed. Hoar, W. S., Black, V. S. and Black, E. C.), pp. 1–51. [University of Toronto Biological Series, 59.]Google Scholar
Humason, G. L., 1967. Animal Tissue Techniques. 296 pp. San Francisco and London: Freeman.Google Scholar
Idler, D. R., Bitners, I. I. & Schmidt, P. J., 1961. 11-ketotestosterone: an androgen for sockeye salmon. Canadian Journal of Biochemistry and Physiology, 39, 1737–1742.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mcbride, J. R. & Van Overbeeke, A. P., 1971. Effects of androgens, estrogen and cortisol on the skin, stomach, liver, pancreas and kidney in gonadectomized adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 28, 485–490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pearse, A. G., 1968. Histochemistry: Theoretical and Applied, vol. 1. 673 pp. Boston: Little, Brown and Co.Google Scholar
Pickering, A. D., 1977. Seasonal changes in the epidermis of the brown trout, Salmo trutta (L). Journal of Fish Biology, 10, 561–566.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pickering, A. D. & Macey, D. J., 1977. Structure, histochemistry and the effect of handling stress on the mucus cells of the epidermis of the char, Salvelinus alpinus (L). Journal of Fish Biology, 10, 505–512.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pickering, A. D. & Richards, R. H., 1980. Factors influencing the structure, function and biota of the salmonid epidermis. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (B), 79, 93–104.Google Scholar
Roberts, R. J., Young, H. & Milne, J. A., 1972. Studies on the skin of plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.). I. The structure and ultrastructure of normal plaice skin. Journal of Fish Biology, 4, 87–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, R. J. F., 1976. Seasonal loss of alarm substance cells in North American cyprinoid fishes and in relation to abrasive spawning behaviour. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 54, 1172–1182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Squires, E. J. & Feltham, L. A. W., 1980. Isolation, characterization and seasonal variations in the concentration of Nє-(y-Glutamyl)-lysine isodipeptide in the blood plasma of the winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus). Biochemical Journal, 185, 761–766.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stoklosowa, S., 1966. Sexual dimorphism in the skin of sea-trout, Salmo trutta. Copeia, 1966, 613–614.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stoklosowa, S., 1970. Further observations on the sexual dimorphism in the skin of Salmo trutta in relation of sexual maturity. Copeia, 1970, 332–339.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van GUELPEN, L. & Davis, C. C., 1979. Seasonal movements of the winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, in two contrasting inshore locations in Newfoundland. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 108, 26–37.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitear, M., 1970. The skin surface of bony fishes. Journal of Zoology, 160, 437–454.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkins, N. P. & Jancsar, S., 1979. Temporal variations in the skin of Atlantic salmon, Salmo Salar L. Journal of Fish Biology, 15, 299–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winer, B. J., 1971. Statistical Principles in Experimental Design. 907 pp. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Yamazaki, F., 1972. Effects of methyltestosterone on the skin and gonads of salmonids. General and Comparative Endocrinology, supplement 3, 741–750.CrossRefGoogle Scholar