Tonic fiber in Mauremys (Clemmys) japonica jaw muscle.

The jaw muscles of a turtle [Mauremys (Clemmys) japonica (MCJ)], have been analyzed for the histochemical characteristics of their fiber types. Six jaw muscles of the MCJ have been analyzed for histochemical characteristics of their fiber types. In this study, fiber types in two groups of muscles are classified; 1) fast twitch glycolytic (FG), fast twitch oxidative glycolytic (FOG), slow twitch oxidative (SO), and tonic fibers, according to the system of Putnam et al. (1980); 2) reacted differently in similar histochemical tests and classified, respectively, as various types. Especially tonic fibers constituted low percentage in the MAMP (ca., 0.3%), MI (ca., 3.9%) and MPtp (ca., 1.0%) were found. These results suggested that the tonic fiber plays a small part of the function in jaw movement.