Fish predation is important in shaping populations and community structure in aquatic systems. These predator-prey interactions can be influenced by environmental, behavioural and morphological factors. Morphological constraints influence the feeding performance of species, and interspecific differences can thus affect patterns of resource use. For piscivorous fishes that swallow prey whole, fe...

The cephalic and pectoral girdle structures of Franciscodoras marmoratus are described and compared to those of representatives of the three main doradid groups, namely Anadoras weddellii (Astrodoradinae), Acanthodoras cataphractus (Platydoradinae) and Doras punctatus (Doradinae), as well as members of the other siluriform families, as the foundation for a discussion on the phylogenetic relatio...

The Dlx5 and Dlx6 genes encode homeodomain transcription factors essential for the proper development of limbs in mammalian species. However, the role of their teleost counterparts in fin development has received little attention. Here, we show that dlx5a is an early marker of apical ectodermal cells of the pectoral fin buds and of the median fin fold, but also of cleithrum precursor cells duri...

The pectoral fins of Acipenseriformes possess endoskeletons with elements homologous to both the fin radials of teleosts and the limb bones of tetrapods. Here we present a study of pectoral fin development in the North American paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, and the white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus, which reveals that aspects of both teleost and tetrapod endoskeletal patterning mechanism...

The cephalic and pectoral girdle structures of the aspredinid Bunocephalus knerii (Bunocephalinae) are described and compared with those of representatives of the two other aspredinid subfamilies, Aspredo aspredo (Aspredininae) and Xyliphius magdalenae (Hoplomyzontinae), as well as with other catŽ shes. This comparison serves as the foundation for a discussion on the phylogenetic position and a...

The osteological development in Sebastes koreanus is described and illustrated on the basis of 32 larvae [6.11–11.10 mm body length (BL)] and a single juvenile (18.60 mm BL) collected from the Yellow Sea. The first-ossified skeletal elements, which are related to feeding, swimming, and respiration, appear in larvae of 6.27 mm BL; these include the jaw bones, palatine, opercular, hyoid arch, and...

Loricaria luciae, new species, is described from the the rio Paraguay basin of Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay, south to its confluence with the rio Paraná in Argentina. It is distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characteristics: pectoral girdle entirely naked or with small isolated plates near base of pectoral fin, post-ural plate at base of caudal fin large (plate le...