Abstract
In a series of experiments 174, 120 and 139 individuals of the teleost Tilapia mossambica (Peters), were acclimated to 30°C and to salinities of 0.4, 12.5 and 30.5‰, respectively. The effect of temperature and salinity upon oxygen consumption was studied by abruptly transferring fish of different wet weights to temperatures from 15° to 40°C at an average initial pO2 of 250mm Hg. At each salinity, the proportionate response to temperature is size-independent. The metabolic rate increases as a function of temperature at 15° and 30°C but not at 40°C. Oxygen consumption is, however, salinity dependent; maximum rates are obtained at 12.5‰S. This salinity is isotonic in the 80 g fish and, to a lesser extent, in the 5 g fish. Reduction in osmotic load is suggested as the probable cause for a greater scope for activity and greater rate of oxygen consumption in 12.5‰ salinity.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Beamish, F. W. H. and L. M. Dickie: Metabolism and biological production in fish. Blackwell & Sons 1968 (In press).
Bertalanffy, L. Von: Metabolic and growth types. Am. Nat. 85, 111–117 (1951).
Davies, P. S. and M. Walkey: The effect of body size and temperature upon oxygen consumption of Cestode Schistocephalus solidus (Müller). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 18, 415–424 (1966).
Dwarakanath, S. K.: Studies on the millipedes of Madurai, 92pp. Ph. D. Thesis, Madras Univ. 1967.
Flemister, L. J. and S. C. Flemister: Chloride ion regulation and oxygen consumption in the crab Ocypode albicans (Bosq). Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods, Hole 101, 259–273 (1951)
Fry, F. E. J.: The effects of the environment on animal activity. Univ. Toronto Studies. Biol. Ser. 55 [=Publs Ont. Fish. Res. Lab. 68, 1–62 (1947)].
— Temperature compensation. A. Rev. Physiol. 20, 207–224 (1958).
— Animals in aquatic environments: Fishes. In: Handbook of physiology. Section 4. Adaptation to the environment, pp 715–728. Ed. by D. B., Dill, E. F. Adolph and C. G. Wilber. Washington, D. C.: Am. Physiol. Soc. 1964.
Gross, W. J.: An analysis of responses to osmotic stress in selected decapod Crustacea. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 112, 43–62 (1957).
Hickman, C. P.: Effect of salinity on the metabolic rate of gill and kidney of starry flounder, Platychthys stellatus. Am. Zool. 2, p. 414, Abstr. 130 (1962).
Job, S. V.: The oxygen consumption of Salvelinus fontinalus. Univ. Toronto Studies Biol. Ser. 61 [=Publs Ont. Fish. Res. Lab. 73, 1–39 (1955)].
— The routine-active oxygen consumption of the milk fish. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 45 Sect. B (6), 302–313 (1957).
— The metabolism of Plotosus anguillaris (Bloch) in various concentrations of salt and oxygen in the medium. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 50 Sect. B. (5), 267–288 (1959).
Job, S. V. The respiratory metabolism of Tilapia mossambica (Peters): Teleostei. II The effect of size temperature, salinity and partial pressure of oxygen. Mar. Biol. 2, (1969) (in press).
Kinne, O.: Zur Biologie und Physiologie von Gammarus duebeni Lillij., V.: Untersuchungen über Blutkonzentration, Herzfrequenz und Atmung. Kieler Meeresforsch. 9, 134–150 (1952).
— Growth, food intake and food conversion in a euryplastic fish exposed to different temperatures and salinities. Physiol. Zoöl. 33, 288–317 (1960).
— The effects of temperature and salinity on marine and brackish water animals. 2. Salinity and temperaturesalinity combinations. Oceanogr. mar. Biol. A. Rev. 2, 281–339 (1964).
Meuwis, A. L. and M. J. Heuts: Temperature dependence of breathing rate in carp. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 112, 97–107 (1957).
Pampapathi Rao, K.: Oxygen consumption as a function of size and salinity in Metapenaeus monoceros Fab. from marine and brackish water environments. J. exp. Biol. 35, 307–313 (1958).
Panikkar, N. K.: Influence of temperature on osmotic behaviour of some Crustacea and its bearing on the problems of animal distribution. Nature, Lond. 146, 366–367 (1940).
Panikkar, N. K. Physiological aspects of adaptation to estuarine conditions. Proc. Indo-Pacif. Fish. Coun. (Cronulla, Australia, Session No. 2) 168–175 (1950).
Parvatheswararao, V.: Influence of different temperaturesalinity combinations on the oxygen consumption in the freshwater fish Etroplus maculatus (Teleostei). Helgoländer wiss. Meeresunters. 12 (3), 301–314 (1965).
Prosser, C. L.: Physiological variation in animals. Biol. Rev. 30, 229–262 (1955).
— and F. A. Brown: Comparative animal physiology, 2nd ed. 688 pp. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders 1961.
Raffy, A.: Recherches sur le métabolisme respiratoire des poikilothermes aquatiques. Annls Inst. océanogr., Monaco 13, 259–514 (1933).
Schlieper, C.: Über die Einwirkung niederer Salzkonzentrationen auf marine organismen. Z. vergl. Physiol. 9, 478–514 (1929).
—: Über die physiologischen Wirkungen des Brackwassers. Kieler Meeresforsch. 11 22–23 (1955).
Scholander, P. F., W. Flagg, V. Walters and L. Irving: Climatic adaptations in arctic and tropical poikilotherms. Physiol. Zoöl. 26, 67–92 (1953).
Smith, H. W.: From fish to philosopher, 264 pp. Boston: Little, Brown & Son 1953
Snedecor, G. W.: Statistical methods applied to experiments in agriculture and biology, 5th ed. 398 pp. Ames: Iowa State Univ. Press 1961.
Sumner, F. B.: The physiological effects upon fishes of changes in density and salinity of water. Bull. Bur. Fish., Wash. 25, 53–108 (1905).
Veerannan, K. M.: Studies on the metabolism of tropical Crustacea, 160pp. Ph. D. Thesis, Madras Univ. 1967.
Wirkgren, B.: Osmotic regulation in some aquatic animals with special reference to the influence of temperature. Acta zool. fenn. 71, 1–102 (1953).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by N. K. Panikkar, New Delhi
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Job, S.V. The respiratory metabolism of Tilapia mossambica (Teleostei). Marine Biol. 2, 121–126 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00347007
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00347007