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Respiratory vasculatures of the intertidal air-breathing eel goby, Odontamblyopus lacepedii (Gobiidae: Amblyopinae)

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Abstract

Lacking a propensity to emerge over the mud surface, the eel goby, Odontamblyopus lacepedii, survives low tide periods by continuously breathing air in burrows filled with hypoxic water. As with most marine air-breathing fishes, O. lacepedii does not possess an accessory air-breathing organ, but holds air in the buccal–opercular cavity. The present study aimed to clarify how the respiratory vasculature has been modified in this facultative air-breathing fish. Results showed that the gills apparently lacked structural modifications for air breathing, whereas the inner epithelia of the opercula were richly vascularized. Comparison with two sympatric gobies revealed that the density of blood capillaries within 10μm from the inner opercular epithelial surface in O. lacepedii (14.5 ± 3.0 capillaries mm−1; mean ± s.d., n = 3) was significantly higher than in the aquatic non-air-breathing Acanthogobius hasta (0.0 ± 0.0) but significantly lower than in the amphibious air-breathing mudskipper, Periophthalmus modestus (59.1 ± 8.5). The opercular capillary bed was supplied predominantly by the 1st efferent branchial arteries (EBA1) and drained by the opercular veins, which open into the anterior cardinal vein. Deep invaginations at the distal end of the EBA1 and the junction with EBA2 are suggestive of blood flow regulatory sites during breath-holding and apnoeic periods. It remains to be investigated how blood flow through the gills is maintained during breath holding when the buccal–opercular cavity is filled with air.

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Abbreviations

ABA1-4:

1st to 4th afferent branchial arteries

ACV:

anterior cardinal vein

AFA:

afferent filamental artery

ALA:

afferent lamellar arteriole

BV:

blood vessel

CA:

cerebral artery

CMA:

coeliacomesenteric artery

CnA:

connecting artery between EBA1 and EBA2

DA:

dorsal aorta

DC:

ductus Cuvier

EBA1-4:

1st to 4th efferent branchial arteries

EFA:

efferent filamental artery

ELA:

efferent lamellar arteriole

H:

heart

HV:

hepatic vein

IMC:

inner marginal channel of the lamella

L:

lamella

LA:

lateral aorta

LiA:

lingual artery

MnA:

mandibular artery

MxA:

maxillary artery

OMC:

outer marginal channel of the lamella

ONA:

orbitonasal artery

ONV:

orbitonasal vein

Op:

operculum

OpA1 :

opercular artery from the anterior end of EBA1

OpA2 :

opercular artery from the distal end of EBA1

OpV:

opercular vein

PC:

pillar cell

PCV:

posterior cardinal vein

ScA:

subclavian (=pectoral) artery

VA:

ventral aorta

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Nagasaki Prefectural Institute of Fisheries for the kind permission to use its SEM during the preliminary stages of gill observations. Mr. Shouichi Inaba is thanked for field assistance. TTG was supported by a full scholarship grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monbukagakusho) of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for East China Sea Research, Nagasaki University, Tairamachi, Nagasaki, 851-2213, Japan

    Tomas T. Gonzales & Atsushi Ishimatsu

  2. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD), 5021, Tigbauan, Iloilo, Philippines

    Tomas T. Gonzales

  3. Ishigaki Tropical Station, Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, Fisheries Research Agency, 148-446 Fukai-Ohta, Ishigaki, Okinawa, 907-0451, Japan

    Masaya Katoh

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  1. Tomas T. Gonzales
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  2. Masaya Katoh
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  3. Atsushi Ishimatsu
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Correspondence to Tomas T. Gonzales.

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Gonzales, T.T., Katoh, M. & Ishimatsu, A. Respiratory vasculatures of the intertidal air-breathing eel goby, Odontamblyopus lacepedii (Gobiidae: Amblyopinae). Environ Biol Fish 82, 341–351 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-007-9295-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-007-9295-5

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