Air breathing of the neotropical fishes Lepidosiren paradoxa, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus and Hoplosternum littorale during aquatic hypoxia

Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2004 Sep;139(1):49-53. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2004.06.019.

Abstract

The present study investigated the respiratory rates, frequency of air breathing and ability to extract oxygen from air compared to body mass of three neotropical air-breathing fishes (Lepidosiren paradoxa, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus and Hoplosternum littorale) with different accessory organs, under the same conditions of hypoxia (PO(2)<5 mm Hg) and temperature (25 degrees C), using the same apparatus. The results indicated a superior capacity of H. littorale (16.01 ml O(2) breath(-1) kg(-1)) compared to H. unitaeniatus (7.03 ml O(2) breath(-1) kg(-1)) and L. paradoxa (4.95 ml O(2) breath(-1) kg(-1)).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air
  • Animals
  • Fishes / physiology*
  • Hypoxia*
  • Inhalation
  • Oxygen / metabolism
  • Oxygen Consumption
  • Respiration
  • Respiratory System
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Oxygen