The South African Association for Marine Biological Research, incorporating Sea World, Oceanographic Research Institute and the Dolphinarium relocated from their old premises of 46 years on Durban’s beach front in March and April 2004 to the new Point Development’s marine theme park, uShaka Marine World in Durban, South Africa. Netting of fishes from the large exhibits could cause physical dama...

Zebrafish are a major model for chemical genetics, and most studies use embryos when investigating small molecules that cause interesting phenotypes or that can rescue disease models. Limited studies have dosed adults with small molecules by means of water-borne exposure or injection techniques. Challenges in the form of drug delivery-related trauma and anesthesia-related toxicity have excluded...

In the study of the neural control of rhythmic motor acts, the operation of the central neuronal networks that produce the motor pattern is an area of considerable interest (cf. Delcomyn, 1980; Grillner, 1981). The motor pattern underlying swimming in the lamprey, a primitive vertebrate, can be produced in the isolated spinal cord in vitro (Cohen & Wallen, 1980; Wallen & Williams, 1984). The ca...

Sharks are important exhibit animals in aquariums and zoologic institutions worldwide. Although veterinarians are encountering these species more frequently in these institutions, our knowledge regarding safe restraint and anesthesia is limited. To date there have been only a few anecdotal reports or studies evaluating the effects of tricaine methane sulfonate (MS-222), ketamine hydrochloride, ...

_ '. The incidental discovery that Lysergic-Safirc-Di_ithylamid (LSD) is a potent hallucinogenic substance has opened new prospectives in the study of some aspects of mental illnesses. The fact that a chemical compound, synthet_zed in the laboratory, has psychotomimetic effects and has a chemical configuration similar to that of a neurotransmitter -serotonin -present in the central nervous syst...

Cephalopod molluscs are among the most behaviorally and neurologically complex invertebrates. As they are now included in research animal welfare regulations in many countries, humane and effective anesthesia is required during invasive procedures. However, currently there is no evidence that agents believed to act as anesthetics produce effects beyond immobility. In this study we demonstrate, ...

Status of individual animals is often shown in pigmentation. For instance, stress responsiveness is associated with melanin-based pigmentation in vertebrates in general. This pattern is evident in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) with melanin-based spots indicating stress coping style. Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) differ from other salmonids in pigment...

Amphibians are most notably characterized by their glandular skin, which they shed regularly and ingest routinely. It is advisable to handle amphibians only with protective gloves to avoid damaging their skin. These animals absorb water readily across the skin as a means of maintaining hydration. They also easily absorb drugs and anesthetics that are applied directly to the skin. Investigators ...