The anterior pituitary of teleost fish contains a variety of endocrine cells, which, under control from the hypothalamus, release trophic hormones and thereby play a major role in reproduction, social behavior, and growth. In fish, hypothalamic fibers directly innervate the pituitary. The hypothalamic hormones released from these fibers bind to membrane receptors on pituitary cells, triggering ...

Colour change of the skin in lower vertebrates such as fish has been a subject of great scientific and public interest. However, colour change also takes place in eyes of fish and while an increasing amount of data indicates its importance in behaviour, very little is known about its regulation. Here, we report that both eye and skin coloration change in response to white to black background ad...

Ornament magnitude often reflects a local balance between sexual selection and other sources of natural selection opposing their elaboration. Human activity may disrupt this balance if it modifies the costs of producing, maintaining or displaying the ornaments. When costs are increased, a shortage of acceptable partners may ensue, with consequences commensurate with how stringent (and effective...

The olfactory system of fish comprises several classes of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). The odourants L-alanine and taurocholic acid (TCA) specifically activate microvillous or ciliated OSNs, respectively, in fish. We recorded electro-olfactograms (EOG) in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas; a laboratory-reared model species) and wild yellow perch (Perca flavescens) whose olfactory chambe...

Populations of reef fish are widely believed to be limited by availability of larval recruits, not by density dependent processes operating during and after settlement of young stages in the reef environment. Our research explores and challenges this thinking. We are utilizing field observations and experiments to determine what factors affect spatial distribution, abundance, and population dyn...

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of a high-lipid diet (HLD) on cyclooxygenase (Cox)-2 expression and the signalling pathways related to low-grade inflammation in the large yellow croaker (Larmichthys crocea). An isolated 2508 bp cDNA clone of cox-2 contained an open reading frame spanning 1827 bp encoding a protein with 608 amino acid residues. The over-expression of c...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The carotenoids lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z), and meso-zeaxanthin (MZ) accumulate in the central retina (the macula), where they are collectively known as macular pigment (MP). MP has been shown to enhance visual function in both diseased and non-diseased retinae, and therefore an understanding and confirmation of, the origins of these carotenoids is needed. Studies have sho...

Recently the exotic cladoceran Bythotrephes cederstroemi colonized inland lakes in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, facing warmer temperatures and greater exposure to smaller fish than in coastal waters of Lake Superior. However, the long caudal appendage (spine) of Bythotrephes protects it against young-of-the-year (YOY) fish predation. After experience, small fish (30-60 mm TL) develop aversi...

Information on the biometric characteristics, egg morphology, and habitat of O. javanicus are very important for its use as model fish in laboratory, ornamental fish, environmental bioindicators. Therefore, research is needed to analyze character, ricefish brackish water pond Banten Bay. This was conducted non-eperimentally by observing characters examine meristic, morphometric, sex dimorphism ...

Each year, over 45 countries export 30 million fish from coral reefs as part of the global marine ornamental aquarium trade. This catch volume is partly influenced by collection methods that cause mortality. Barotrauma in fish resulting from forced ascent from depth can contribute to post-collection mortality. However, implementing decompression stops during ascent can prevent barotrauma. Conve...