Prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) is one of the RF-amide peptides and was originally identified in the bovine hypothalamus as a stimulator of prolactin (PRL) release. Independently, another RF-amide peptide was found in Japanese crucian carp and named Carassius-RFa (C-RFa), which shows high homology to PrRP and stimulates PRL secretion in teleost fish. Therefore, C-RFa has been recognized as f...

Genomic DNAs isolated from crucian carp of four rivers, belonging to the family Cyprinidae was amplified by seven oligonucleotides primers. In the present study, we employed hierarchical clustering method in order to reveal genetic distances and variations. Crucian carp was acquired from Hangang river (CAH), Geumgang river (CAG), Nakdonggang river (CAN) and Yeongsangang river (CAY). The primer ...

In this study, we report the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of the allotetraploid and triploid crucian carp and compare the complete mtDNA sequences between the triploid crucian carp and its female parent Japanese crucian carp and between the triploid crucian carp and its male parent allotetraploid. Our results indicate that the complete mtDNA nucleotide identity (98%) between the...

Koi carps frequently swim in burst-and-coast style, which consists of a burst phase and a coast phase. We quantify the swimming kinematics and the flow patterns generated by the carps in burst-and-coast swimming. In the burst phase, the carps burst in two modes: in the first, the tail beats for at least one cycle (multiple tail-beat mode); in the second, the tail beats for only a half-cycle (ha...

Acclimation of crucian carp and goldfish to temperatures below 15°C causes covering of the gill lamellae by a mass of cells termed the interlamellar cell mass (ILCM). Here we explore the cues underlying gill remodeling (removal or growth of an ILCM) and specifically test the hypotheses that 1) depletion of internal O(2) stores in the absence of any change in external O(2) status can trigger the...

As part of our study of non-experimentally induced encephalic proliferation in unequivocally adult individuals of several heterothermic Vertebrates (Podarcis sicula, Triturus carnifex, Rana esculenta, Carassius carassius), we deal here with areas not considered in previous investigations, i.e. various encephalic regions (except the telencephalon) in Podarcis sicula, Triturus carnifex and Rana e...

Khawia abbottinae sp. n. is described from the Chinese false gudgeon, Abbottina rivularis (Basilewsky) (Cyprinidae: Gobioninae), from the Yangtze River basin in China. The new species can be distinguished from the congeneric species mainly by the arrangements of the testes, which form two longitudinal bands (other congeneric species have the testes irregularly scattered throughout the testicula...

In order to determine the absolute configuration of naturally occurring alloxanthin, a HPLC analytical method for three stereoisomers 1a-c was established by using a chiral column. Two authentic samples, (3S,3'S)- and meso-stereoisomers 1b and 1c, were chemically synthesized according to the method previously developed for (3R,3'R)-alloxanthin (1a). Application of this method to various alloxan...

In this study we examine differences in the occurrence of life history stages of the destructive fish ectoparasite Argulus foliaceus (L., 1758) on eight fish species (stickleback, rudd, roach, gudgeon, bream, tench, crucian carp and common carp) sampled from a mixed-species recreational fishing lake on nine occasions during late spring and summer. Total numbers ofA. foliaceus, as well as the nu...