Morphology of the digestive tract of the Whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest, 1823) (Perciformes: Sciaenidae)

Abstract

Andrade, I.M., Guimarães, J.P., Rotundo, M.M., Mari, R.B. 2016. Effect of gonad maturation on the morphology of the digestive tract of the Whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest, 1823) (Perciformes: Sciaenidae). -Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 00: 000-000.Studies have shown the feeding diversity of teleostean fish, which is conditioned by environmental characteristics or the biology of the different species. Analysis on the morphology of the digestive system (DS) of fish made it possible for researchers to know the food regimen of several species at different stages of life. On the other hand, it is known that food habits may lead to morphological changes in the DS the same way that different food habits may be imposed by morphological limitations of this system. Among the species of greater commercial importance in Brazil, Micropogonias furnieri is highly representative of fish in south-eastern Brazil. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyse the morphology of the DS of M. furnieri. Results on the morphology of the DS observed in this study were similar to the patterns determined for the morphology of teleostean fish. In this study, it was observed that the DS of the Whitemouth croaker is directly related with the shape of the peritoneal cavity; these fish showed oesophagus, stomach, pyloric caeca and intestines. The pyloric caeca showed morphological adaptations in relation to sexual maturation, with well-developed caeca found in sexually mature animals.

Morphological characterisation of the digestive tract of the catfish Lophiosilurus alexandri Steindachner, 1876 (Siluriformes, Pseudopimelodidae)

“…The stomach of fishes is divided into many categories depending on their shape: (i) no stomach as in Cryprinids and Labrids; (ii) J‐shape in African and American catfish; (iii) straight with enlarged lumen in pike; (iv) channel catfish and halibut; (v) U‐shaped in salmonide; and (vi) Y‐shaped in tilapia (Moawada, Awaadb, & Tawfiekb, ). The anatomical shape of the pacamã stomach differs from that of most teleosts due to its “C” shape, whilst most studies report a “U” shape (Andrade et al., ; Cao & Wang, ; Xiong et al., ), “J” shape (Sis, Ives, Jones, Lewis, & Haensly, ) and “Y” shape (Rodrigues & Menin, ). The latter two authors suggest that the different anatomical shapes of fish stomachs may be related to different eating habits, but the anatomical shape may well be related to phylogeny, as there are no conclusive studies.…”

“…The digestive tract of fish is a widely studied topic, from the classic works of Al‐Hussaini (); Angelescu and Gneri () to recent works, such as Germano et al. (); Santos, Arantes, Santiago, and Santos (), Santos, Arantes, Pessali, and Santos (); Fagundes, Rotundo, and Mari (); Andrade, Guimarães, Rotundo, and Mari (). These studies provide crucial information for the cultivation and conservation of species (Santos, Arantes, Santiago et al., ; Wilson & Castro, ).…”

Comparative analysis of the small and large intestines of Acará Geophagus brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) (Pisces: Cichlidae)

“…The digestive system of fish presents marked morphological and functional variations, which reflect the wide diversity of this group and its different feeding habits (Díaz, García, Devincenti, & Goldemberg, 2003). The general morphology of the digestive tract is mainly related to the nature of the feeding habits, the environment in which the fish inhabit, and the size and shape of the body (Andrade, Guimarães, Rotundo & Mari, 2017). In teleosts, it has some basic structural similarities, such as its anatomical division, consisting of the buccopharyngeal cavity, oesophagus, stomach, intestines, anus and accessory organs such as the liver, gallbladder and pancreas (Santos, Arantes, Santiago & Santos, 2015).…”