Scale Thickness Predicts Skin Puncture-Force Resistance in Three Pleuronectiform Fishes.

ABSTRACT: In fishes, the skin and scales provide a physical barrier to the external environment and must withstand direct physical insult from biotic and abiotic features of the habitat. Flatfishes likely rely heavily on their scales for physical defense because they rest directly on the substrate. Using a flatfish model, we asked: what are the effects of scale type and scale morphology on puncture force resistance? We also asked: are there morphological and functional differences between the eyed and blind sides in flatfishes and do the morphological and functional properties of scales vary with organism size? Using a large size range of three species of Pleuronectid flatfish (Isopsetta isolepis, n = 10; Parophrys vetulus, n = 10; and Platichthys stellatus, n</

SUBMITTER: Minicozzi MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7671105 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature