Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Aquatic surface respiration in the fishes of Panama: distribution in relation to risk of hypoxia

  • Published:
Environmental Biology of Fishes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Synopsis

Eighty six species of non-air breathing fish from Panama were tested for aquatic surface respiration (ASR), a behavioral response to extreme hypoxia that involves aquatic respiration at the air-water interface. ASR was well developed in 93% and 72% of species from potentially hypoxic freshwater and marine habitats, respectively, but only 42% of species from consistently well oxygenated marine habitats. This provides evidence that ASR is a specific adaptation to hypoxia and that in fishes of shallow, tropical waters, respiratory responses which maintain oxygen supply are much more widespread than those which eliminate oxygen demand (anaerobic respiration).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References cited

  • Carter, G.S. & L.C. Beadle. 1931. The fauna of the swamps of the Paraguayan Chaco in relation to its environment. II. Respiratory adaptations in the fishes. J. Lin. Soc. London (Zoology) 37: 327–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Congleton, J.L. 1980. Observations on the responses of some southern California tidepool fishes to nocturnal hypoxic stress. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 66A: 719–722.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coulter, G.W. 1967. Low apparent oxygen requirements of deepwater fishes in Lake Tanganyika. Nature, Lond. 215: 317–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Driedzic, W.R., C.F. Phleger, J.H.A. Fields & C. French. 1978. Alterations in energy metabolism associated with the transition from water to air breathing in fish. Can. J. Zool. 56: 730–735.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gee, J.H., R.F. Tallman & H.J. Smart. 1978. Reactions of some great plains fishes to progressive hypoxia. Can. J. Zool. 56: 1962–1966.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochachka, P.W. 1980. Living without oxygen. Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, 181 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochachka, P.W. & C.N. Somero. 1976 Enzyme and metabolic adaptations to low oxygen. pp. 279–314. In: R.C. Newell (ed.) Adaptation to Environment, Butterworths, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kramer, D.K., C.C. Lindsey, G.E.E. Moodie & E.D. Stevens. 1978. The fishes and the aquatic environment of the central Amazon basin, with particular reference to respiratory patterns. Can. J. Zool. 56: 717–729.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kramer, D.L. & M. McClure. 1982. Aquatic surface respiration, a widespread adaptation to hypoxia in tropical freshwater fishes. Env. Biol. Fish. 7: 47–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kramer, D.L. & J.P. Mehegan. 1981. Aquatic surface respiration, an adaptive response to hypoxia in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata (Pisces, Poeciliidae). Env. Biol. Fish. 6: 299–313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krogh, A. & I. Leitch. 1919. The respiratory function of the blood in fishes. J. Physiol. London 52: 288–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, W.M., Jr. 1970. Morphological adaptations of cyprinodontoids for inhabiting oxygen deficient waters. Copeia 1970: 319–326.

  • Lomholt, J.P. & K. Johansen. 1979. Hypoxia acclimation in carp-how it affects O2 uptake, ventilation, and O2 extraction from water. Physiol. Zool. 52: 38–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milliman, J.D. 1969. Four southwestern Caribbean atolls: Courtown Cays, Albuquerque Cays, Roncador Bank and Serrana Bank. Atoll Research Bulletin 129: 1–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prosser, C.L., L.M. Barr. R.A. Pine & C.Y. Lauer. 1957 Acclimation of goldfish to low concentrations of oxygen. Physiol. Zool. 30: 137–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramsey, W.L. 1962. Dissolved oxygen in shallow near-shore water and its relation to possible bubble formation. Limnol. Oceanogr. 7: 453–461.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riggs, A. 1979. Studies of the hemoglobins of Amazonian fishes: an overview. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 62A: 257–271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, S. 1956. Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. McGraw-Hill, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Todd, E.S. 1972. Hemoglobin concentration in a new air-breathing fish. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 42A: 569–573.

    Google Scholar 

  • Truchot, J.P. & A. Duhamel-Jouve. 1980. Oxygen and carbon dioxide in the marine intertidal environment: diurnal and tidal changes in rockpools. Respiration Physiology 39: 241–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turnbull, D.A. & J.B. Lewis. 1981. Pollution ecology of a small tropical estuary in Barbados, West Indies. I. Water quality characteristics. Marine Sciences Centre, Manuscript No. 35, McGill University, Montreal, 54 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, G.E. 1967. An ecological study of a Hawaiian mangrove swamp. pp. 420–431. In: G.H. Lauff (ed.) Estuaries, A.A.A.S. Publ. No. 83, Washinton, D.C.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Avenue Docteur Penfield, Montréal, Québec, H3A 1B1, Canada

    Donald L. Kramer

Authors
  1. Donald L. Kramer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kramer, D.L. Aquatic surface respiration in the fishes of Panama: distribution in relation to risk of hypoxia. Environ Biol Fish 8, 49–54 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004945

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004945

Keywords

Search

Navigation