Chaotic catfish particle swarm optimization (C-CatfishPSO) is a novel optimization algorithm proposed in this paper. C-CatfishPSO introduces chaotic maps into catfish particle swarm optimization (CatfishPSO), which increase the search capability of CatfishPSO via the chaos approach. Simple CatfishPSO relies on the incorporation of catfish particles into particle swarm optimization (PSO). The in...

Protozoan Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Fouquet (Ich) and bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila are two common pathogens of cultured fish, which cause high fish mortality. Currently there is no information available for the effect of parasitism by Ich on survival of channel catfish and invasion of A. hydrophila in fish tissues following exposure to A. hydrophila. A trial was conducted in this study to:...

Fish consumption has been classified as one of the primary pathways of exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, we evaluated tissue levels of the 17 laterally substituted PCDD/Fs, 12 dioxin-like PCBs, and 97 non-dioxin-like PCBs in a number of wild-caught and farm-raised catfish collected throughout southern Mississippi. Total l...

BACKGROUND Histopathological lesions and biometric variations in catfish species are statistically associated with chemical contaminant exposure. A histopathological and biometric database for the catfish Sciades herzbergii and Bagre bagre from São Luís Island (Port Area) and Caranguejos Island (Reference Area) is presented. Branchial and hepatic lesions were classified into three reaction patt...

This study compared the susceptibility of three blue catfish strains (D&B, USDA 101 and USDA 102) to the parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich). In Trial I, a cohabitation study (all strains stocked communally) was conducted and fish were exposed to theronts at 0, 200, 1000, 5000 or 25 000 theronts fish(-1), respectively. All fish died when exposed to theronts at 5000 or 25 000 theronts fi...

individual decisions concerning the trade-off between somatic and reproductive investment (Dänhardt et al. 2011). Birds feeding chicks should deliver the most nutritious and optimally sized prey items to chicks in order to maximise chick growth (Baird 1991). How ever, whether a parent delivers prey to chicks or eats it itself, depends not only on prey value but also on the time and energy cost ...

Highly active small mammals need to capture prey rapidly and with a high success rate if they are to survive. We consider the case of the Etruscan shrew, which hunts prey including crickets almost as large as itself, and relies on its whiskers (vibrissae) to complete a kill. We model this hunting behaviour using a whiskered robot. Shrews strike rapidly and accurately after gathering very limite...

the purpose of this study is to describe the histological and histochemical features of digestive tract intwo aquarium fishes with different types of feeding habits which are omnivorous (walking catfish) andcarnivorous (piranha), respectively. five adult walking catfish (l: 26.4 ± 3.4 cm, w: 265 ± 55 g) and fiveadult piranha (l: 23.6 ± 4.5 cm, w: 247 ± 50 g) were used for this study. the fishes...

Claudins are one of the major groups of transmembrane proteins that play crucial roles in tight junctions. In addition to their function in the regulation of paracellular permeability, claudins are also involved in a number of biological processes related to pathogen infection, embryonic development, organ development and hypoxia response. Despite its importance, analyses of claudin genes in ch...

The effects of sex steroids on spermatogenesis and testicular androgen secretion were studied in juvenile (spermatogonia present in testes) African catfish. Fish were implanted with Silastic pellets containing 11-ketotestosterone (KT), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (OHA), androstenetrione (OA), androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), or estradiol-17β (E2). Control grou...