Histology of skin of the amphibious esh,periophthalmus modestus

Histology and Morphometrics of the epidermis of the fins and sucking disc of the mudskipper,Periophtholmus modestus(Pisces, Gobiidae)

“…These observations on the epidermis structure of P. modestus was performed either in the dorsal, ventral and caudal portions (Suzuki, 1992), or in the head, trunk and mandible (Yokoya and Tamura, 1992), and the top of head, dorsal, lateral and ventral portions (Park et al, 2000). The above structural features were the same in 6 different epidermises including 5 fins and a sucking disc.…”

“…General structures on epidermis of Periophthalmus known as cutaneous air-breathing fish skin were well documented by some workers: 1) in the stratum germinativum, the presence of well-defined lymphatic spaces containing small lymphocytes, 2) in the middle layer, simpler structure and the existence of thick swollen cells, 3) in outermost layer, the existence of abundant intraepidermal capillaries near its surface, 4) reduction of scale, and 5) the absence of the mucous and any glandular cells (Whitear, 1986;Suzuki, 1992;Yokoya and Tamura, 1992;Park et al, 2000;Park, 2002). These observations on the epidermis structure of P. modestus was performed either in the dorsal, ventral and caudal portions (Suzuki, 1992), or in the head, trunk and mandible (Yokoya and Tamura, 1992), and the top of head, dorsal, lateral and ventral portions (Park et al, 2000).…”

“…Based on the above results, cutaneous gas exchange of P. modestus may occur more closely to the surface of body epidermis rather than in appendages. The diffusion distance was also reported in other air-breathing fishes: the suprabranchial chamber and labyrinthine organ of Anabas testudineus (0.21 µm), the intestine of Misgurnus mizolepis (0.7 µm) and M. anguillicaudauts (11.2 µm), the suprabranchial chamber of Channa punctata (0.78 µm) and the opercular chamber of Boleophthalmus boddaerti (1.22 µm), and the epidermis of Liobagrus mediadiposalis (169 µm) (Hughes et al, 1973(Hughes et al, , 1974Hakim et al, 1978;Biswas et al, 1981;Moitra et al, 1989;Park et al, 2000;Park and Kim, 2001;Park et al, 2003a,b).…”

“…As in Table 1, diffusion distance between blood of the capillaries and the surface of skin ranged from 3.6 to 10.9 µm. Of the 12 species of the genus Periophthalmus, the diffusion distance was reported only in the back of P. modestus (average 1.4 µm) and P. magnuspinnatus (average 1.5 µm) (Park et al, 2000;Park, 2002), in the opercular pouches of P. vulgaris (average 1.0 to 3.2 µm) (Singh and Munshi, 1969). Based on the above results, cutaneous gas exchange of P. modestus may occur more closely to the surface of body epidermis rather than in appendages.…”

“…(Pisces, Gobiidae) Zhang et al, 2000;Park et al, 2000;Park, 2002). However, these histological investigations were partially focused on restricted body skins such as the head and back, or operculum, abdomen and caudal region, and comparative data on their regional epidermis were not given.…”