Regulation of blood oxygen affinity in the Australian blackfish Gadopsis marmoratus. I. Correlations between oxygen-binding properties, habitat and swimming behaviour

The regulation of whole blood oxygen affinity in the freshwater blackfish Gadopsis marmoratus Richardson has been examined, and correlations made between oxygen-binding properties and the habitat and swimming behaviour of the fish. Blackfish whole blood has a low oxygen affinity relative to other fi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of experimental biology Vol. 99; pp. 223 - 243
Main Authors Dobson, G.P, Baldwin, J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 1982
Subjects
animal physiology
aquatic organisms
Freshwater
Gadopsis marmoratus
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Summary:The regulation of whole blood oxygen affinity in the freshwater blackfish Gadopsis marmoratus Richardson has been examined, and correlations made between oxygen-binding properties and the habitat and swimming behaviour of the fish. Blackfish whole blood has a low oxygen affinity relative to other fish bloods reported in the literature. This is not due to a low oxygen affinity of the stripped haemoglobins, but arises from interactions between haemoglobin and intraerythrocytic modulators. Muscle morphology and biochemistry, and behavioural observations, indicate that the blackfish uses anaerobic energy metabolism during rapid swimming and in recovery. It is concluded that the oxygen-binding properties of blackfish blood reflect adaptations for maintaining adequate tissue oxygenation for animals at rest and during slow sustained swimming in waters of high oxygen tensions.
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ISSN:0022-0949
1477-9145