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Development of the axial skeleton in wolffish, Anarhichas lupus (Pisces, Anarhichadidae), at different temperatures

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Abstract

The ontogeny of the axial skeleton, in particular the caudal skeleton, is described from embryos to adult specimens in common wolffish, Anarhichas lupus. The eggs were incubated at constant temperatures of 7.0, 11.0 and 13.0 °C. High egg mortality and structural changes in skeletal development (fusion of parts, absence of distal radials and most of dorsal and anal fin rays, abnormal neural arches and dorsal fin rays) were observed at 13 °C. The frequencies of some anomalies were lower at 11 °C than at 13 °C. The main reason of structural changes of the skeleton at high temperature is the breaking of normal correlations between developmental rates of some cartilaginous structures and other tissues and organs of the embryo. These data suggest an epigenetic mechanism of skeletal evolution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ichthyology, Department of Biology, Moscow State University, 119899, Moscow, Russian Federation

    Dimitri A. Pavlov (Chair)

  2. Flødevigen Marine Research Station, Institute of Marine Research, N-4817, His, Norway

    Erlend Moksness

Authors
  1. Dimitri A. Pavlov
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  2. Erlend Moksness
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Pavlov, D.A., Moksness, E. Development of the axial skeleton in wolffish, Anarhichas lupus (Pisces, Anarhichadidae), at different temperatures. Environmental Biology of Fishes 49, 401–416 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007352802352

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007352802352

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