No abstract

Growth of adult traíras Hoplias malabaricus ceased and body mass (M) decreased during starvation periods of 30, 60, 90, 150, 180 and 240 days. Hepatic reserves were mobilized in fish starved for 30 days, but liver mass of fish starved for longer periods was not significantly different from those starved for 30 days. Perivisceral fat bodies were consumed gradually, being completely exhausted after 240 days of food deprivation. Length of starvation was associated with a significant decrease in the oxygen uptake (Ṽ 2 ). In spite of this reduction, the respiratory frequency (f R ) was kept nearly constant during the starvation periods. The haematocrit and the number of red blood cells decreased after 150 and 240 days of starvation, respectively. These parameters did not recover after refeeding (after 90 and 240 days of starvation). This hypometabolic state in response to food deprivation contributed to energy conservation during these periods. Traíras can survive food deprivation for periods of up to 180 days without reductions in metabolism and when they do become hypometabolic, normal metabolic rates are rapidly restored upon refeeding.

No abstract

In some neotropical environments, fishes often experience periods of poor food supply, especially due to extreme fluctuations in rainfall regime. The fish species that experience periods of drought such as the traíra Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch 1794), may stand up to long-term food deprivation. In this study, experiments were performed in order to determine the dynamic of utilization of endogenous reserves in this species during starvation. Adult traíra were both fasted for 30-240 days and re-fed for 30 days following 90 and 240 days of fasting. Glycogen and perivisceral fat were primary energy substrates consumed. During the first 30 days, fish consumed hepatic and muscular glycogen, without exhausting these reserves, and used lipids from perivisceral fat. Hepatic lipids were an important energy source during the first 60 days of starvation and perivisceral fat were consumed gradually, being exhausted after 180 days. Protein mobilization was noticeable after 60 days of fasting, and became the major energy source as the lipid reserves were decreased (between 90 and 180 days). Following the longest periods of food deprivation, fish had utilized hepatic glycogen again. Fish re-fed for 30 days after 90 and 240 days of fasting were able to recover hepatic glycogen stores, but not the other energy reserves.

Adult traíra (Hoplias malabaricus) were submitted to different periods of food deprivation (from 30 to 240 days) and refed for 30 days after 90 and 240 days of starvation. Stomach length remained constant during all the experimental period. However, the intestine length was significantly reduced after 30 days of food deprivation. Normal length was not recovered after refeeding. The number of pyloric caeca did not change significantly. Conversely, caeca thickness decreased after 150 days of starvation and their length decreased after 180 days. After refeeding, however, the pyloric caeca recovered original thickness. In fish refed after 240 days of starvation the length of these structures seemed to present compensatory growth, becoming longer than in the control group.Key words: gut, gross morphology, pyloric caeca, starvation, refeeding. Palavras-chave: trato digestório, morfologia, cecos pilóricos, privação de alimento, realimentação. RESUMO

Growth of adult traíras Hoplias malabaricus ceased and body mass (M) decreased during starvation periods of 30, 60, 90, 150, 180 and 240 days. Hepatic reserves were mobilized in fish starved for 30 days, but liver mass of fish starved for longer periods was not significantly different from those starved for 30 days. Perivisceral fat bodies were consumed gradually, being completely exhausted after 240 days of food deprivation. Length of starvation was associated with a significant decrease in the oxygen uptake (Ṽ 2 ). In spite of this reduction, the respiratory frequency (f R ) was kept nearly constant during the starvation periods. The haematocrit and the number of red blood cells decreased after 150 and 240 days of starvation, respectively. These parameters did not recover after refeeding (after 90 and 240 days of starvation). This hypometabolic state in response to food deprivation contributed to energy conservation during these periods. Traíras can survive food deprivation for periods of up to 180 days without reductions in metabolism and when they do become hypometabolic, normal metabolic rates are rapidly restored upon refeeding.

The aim of this study was to determine whether endemic Antarctic nototheniid fish are able to adjust their liver antioxidant defence system in response to the temperature increase. The activity of the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR) enzymes as well as the content of non-enzymatic oxidative stress markers such as reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and protein carbonyl (PC) were measured in the liver of two Antarctic fish species, Notothenia rossii and Notothenia coriiceps after 1, 3 and 6days of exposure to temperatures of 0°C and 8°C. The GST activity showed a downregulation in N. rossii after 6days of exposure to the increased temperature. The activity profiles of GST and GR in N. rossii and of GPx in N. coriiceps also changed as a consequence of heating to 8°C. The GSH content increased by heating to 8°C after 3days in N. coriiceps and after 6days in N. rossii. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), a LPO marker, showed a negative modulation by the heating to 8°C in N. rossii after 3days of exposure to temperatures. Present results show that heating to 8°C influenced the levels and profiles of the antioxidant enzymes and defences over time in the nototheniid fish N. rossii and N. coriiceps.

The developmental stages for the embryonic and larval periods of the silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) kept at different temperatures (21, 24, 27 and 30 degrees C) are described. Fish were analysed under light and scanning electron microscopy. For embryonic development, we described 25 stages, which were grouped into seven periods named zygote, cleavage, blastula, gastrula, segmentation, pharyngula and hatching periods. For larval development, we defined three stages (early, mid, and late larvae). Additionally, the main ontogenetic events during the post-larvae and early juvenile periods were also described. This species presents a well developed lateral line and chemosensory systems that grow up during the larval period, maturing in the post-larvae. All tested temperatures are viable to R. quelen development, but a shorter incubation period was necessary to complete the development at lower temperatures. However, some malformations (heart edema) were verified at 30 degrees C.