Abstract
Perhaps no other organ in fish has received as great and sustained scientific interest as the swim (air) bladder. The principal aspects which have elicited this interest have been those related to its evolutionary origin, structure, and function. For a review of early works, see Hall (1924), Marshall (1960), Alexander (1966), Fange (1966), Copeland (1969), and Steen (1970). The biophysics of buoyancy control through regulation of gas secretion (against high ambient pressures, particularly in the benthic deepwater fish) and resorption, has been the most intriguing attribute of the organ (Marshall, 1960; Scholander and van Dam, 1953; Scholander, 1954; Alexander, 1966). The current topics were recently reviewed by Pelster and Scheid (1992a, b). The variety of functions carried out by the airbladder in various species is perhaps greater than that of any other organ in fish (Hall, 1924). They include buoyancy control (Denton, 1961; Jones, 1952), respiration (particularly in physostomatous fish) (Jones, 1957; Dehadrai, 1962; Luling, 1964), hearing (Schwartzkopff, 1963; Tavolga, 1964), sound production (Green, 1924; Jones and Marshall, 1953; Schneider and Hasler, 1960; Tavolga, 1962), and pressure sensation (Vasilenko and Livanov, 1936; Koshtoyanz and Vassilenko, 1937; Qutob, 1962). In the exceptional case of Notopteridae (Greenwood, 1963), the airbladder seems to serve all the above functions. The airbladder, however, does not appear to be crucial for life since many fish, such as sharks and rays (elasmobranchs), do not have one and of about 20,000 extant teleostean species, approximately half lack an airbladder, particularly in the adult stage (Jones and Marshall, 1953; Marshall, 1962; Fange, 1966). Some of the well-known fish which lack an airbladder are the European mackerel (Scomber), the flounder (Pleoronectes), the angler (Lophius), and the bullhead (Cottus) (Jones and Marshall, 1953). 180In Scombroidei the airbladder is so variable in size that it is asserted by Jones and Marshall (1953) that its presence or absence has no selective advantage. It is highly probable that it conforms with the biological rule of necessity; whenever an airbladder has been retained, it must serve a definite adaptive role. Almost all species of fish are heavier than water when the airbladder lift is absent (Goolish, 1992), with the muscle density being about 1.05 g/cm3 (Alexander, 1959) while the density of the vertebral axial skeleton ranges from 1.25 to 1.50 g/cm3 (Webb, 1990).
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Fish Morphology |
Subtitle of host publication | Horizon of New Research |
Publisher | CRC Press |
Pages | 179-192 |
Number of pages | 14 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781351448499 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences