Hobart

Seminar abstract

Wednesday 28 March 2007, 11.30 am
CSIRO Auditorium, Hobart

Nicholas C Wegner
Centre for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine Marine Biology
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego

Evolution and functional morphology of tuna and billfish gills

High-performance teleosts such as tunas (family Scombridae) and marlins (family Istiophoridae) rely upon ram-gill ventilation and have structural features that prevent filament and lamellar deformation by the fast, continuous ventilatory flow stream, as well as specializations to increase gas transfer that permit high rates of sustained aerobic performance.

My work investigates the sequence of character acquisition in the scombrid family [from mackerels (least derived) to tunas of the genus Thunnus (most derived)] for maintaining gill rigidity during ram ventilation (filament and lamellar fusions) and for increasing gas-exchange (short diffusion distances, unique microvascular properties). Comparison of scombrid and billfish functional gill morphology reveals marked similarities. Specifically, a previously undescribed inter-lamellar fusion which maintains gill pore rigidity is documented in the wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri), striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax), and sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus)

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Location:
CSIRO = Marine Laboratories Auditorium, Castray Esplanade, Hobart

For further information, or to schedule a seminar, contact:
To schedule a seminar, contact:
Karen Wild-Allen, (Oceanographic seminars) CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research (03) 6232 5010
Piers Dunstan, (Biological seminars) CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
(03) 6232 5382
Annabel Ozimec (seminar administrator) CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research (03) 6232 5462
Sandra Zicus, Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC (03) 6226 7888
Margaret Hazelwood, Institute of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Studies (IASOS) University of Tasmania (03) 6226 2971

Last updated 16/03/07