Bone Density Variation in Rattails (Macrouridae, Gadiformes): Buoyancy, Depth, Body Size, and Feeding.

ABSTRACT: Extreme abiotic factors in deep-sea environments, such as near-freezing temperatures, low light, and high hydrostatic pressure, drive the evolution of adaptations that allow organisms to survive under these conditions. Pelagic and benthopelagic fishes that have invaded the deep sea face physiological challenges from increased compression of gasses at depth, which limits the use of gas cavities as a buoyancy aid. One adaptation observed in deep-sea fishes to increase buoyancy is a decrease of high-density tissues. In this study, we analyze mineralization of high-density skeletal tissue in rattails (family Macrouridae), a group of widespread benthopelagic fishes that occur from surface waters to greater than 7000 m depth. We test the hypothesis that rattail species decrease bone density with

SUBMITTER: Martin RP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9652093 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature