Observations on the comparative morphology and operation of the photogenic tissues of myctophid fishes

Edwards, A. S. G.; Herring, Peter J.

doi:10.1007/bf00390582

Cited by 17 publications

(17 citation statements)

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“…They possess two kinds of luminous structures, with highly variable patterns, that light up independently. Those are the ventral and ventrolateral photophores which are thought to play a role in counter-illumination [23] and species recognition [24], and the luminous organs and tissue patches, which are frequently sexually dimorphic, are located on the caudal peduncle and/or head and/or body and may play several different roles including intra- and interspecific communication, prey illumination and distraction [25]. Consequently, we hypothesised that lanternfishes with a deeper distribution and/or a reduction of bioluminescent emissions will have smaller eyes and that ecological factors rather than phylogenetic relationships will drive the evolution of their visual system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eye-Size Variability in Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae): An Ecological and Phylogenetic Study

et al. 2013

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One of the most common visual adaptations seen in the mesopelagic zone (200–1000 m), where the amount of light diminishes exponentially with depth and where bioluminescent organisms predominate, is the enlargement of the eye and pupil area. However, it remains unclear how eye size is influenced by depth, other environmental conditions and phylogeny. In this study, we determine the factors influencing variability in eye size and assess whether this variability is explained by ecological differences in habitat and lifestyle within a family of mesopelagic fishes characterized by broad intra- and interspecific variance in depth range and luminous patterns. We focus our study on the lanternfish family (Myctophidae) and hypothesise that lanternfishes with a deeper distribution and/or a reduction of bioluminescent emissions have smaller eyes and that ecological factors rather than phylogenetic relationships will drive the evolution of the visual system. Eye diameter and standard length were measured in 237 individuals from 61 species of lanternfishes representing all the recognised tribes within the family in addition to compiling an ecological dataset including depth distribution during night and day and the location and sexual dimorphism of luminous organs. Hypotheses were tested by investigating the relationship between the relative size of the eye (corrected for body size) and variations in depth and/or patterns of luminous-organs using phylogenetic comparative analyses. Results show a great variability in relative eye size within the Myctophidae at all taxonomic levels (from subfamily to genus), suggesting that this character may have evolved several times. However, variability in eye size within the family could not be explained by any of our ecological variables (bioluminescence and depth patterns), and appears to be driven solely by phylogenetic relationships.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eye-Size Variability in Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae): An Ecological and Phylogenetic Study

et al. 2013

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“…In addition the myctophid species included also have caudal organs, most likely used for communication. These have been shown to be both brighter and faster in bioluminescence display than the ventral photophores (Barnes and Case 1974; Edwards and Herring 1977; Christophe and Baguet 1982). Little is presently known about the control of bioluminescence in these fish.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Caudal organs contain more abundant flattened photocytes, connected as a syncytium (Fig. 2, Anctil and Case 1977; Edwards and Herring 1977; O′Day 1972). The photophores of Cyclothone braueri (Stomiiformes: Gonostomatidae) are small and bead shaped with glandular light‐producing cells, arranged in groups around a common collecting cavity for luminous products (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies of the control of the myctophid photophores are either lacking or have often failed due to the difficulties with capturing and maintaining live animals (Anctil 1971; Barnes and Case 1974; Christophe and Baguet 1982). No endogenous substances tested so far [adrenaline (Anctil 1971), noradrenaline, acetylcholine (Barnes and Case 1974)] induce a reproducible luminescence response in myctophid species, but both ventral and caudal photophores from M. punctatum respond to electrical stimulation (Christophe and Baguet 1982) and microscopy studies indicate that both types of myctophid photophores (ventral and caudal) are under nervous control (Anctil and Case 1977; Edwards and Herring 1977).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evidence for a widespread involvement of NO in control of photogenesis in bioluminescent fish

Krönström

Mallefet

2010

Acta Zoologica

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Krönström, J. and Mallefet, J. 2010. Evidence for a widespread involvement of NO in control of photogenesis in bioluminescent fish. -Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 474-483.The presence of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and nerve fibres in the photophores of seven bioluminescent fish species (Hygophum benoiti, Myctophum punctatum, Electrona risso, Cyclothone braueri, Vinciguerria attenuata, Maurolicus muelleri and Porichthys notatus) with endogenous photocytes, were investigated. Antibodies directed against neuronal and inducible NOS (n and iNOS respectively) and NADPH-diaphorase activity were used to reveal the locations of NOS, while antibodies directed against acetylated tubulin were used to visualize nerve fibres. The nNOS antibody labelled structures in all investigated photophores except in the organs from P. notatus. The photocytes of P. notatus showed NADPH-diaphorase activity. In the myctophid species, NOS-like immunoreactivity was found in small intracellular structures of the photocytes and in nerve fibres reaching the photocytes. nNOS-positive fibres were also found among lens ⁄ filter cells in V. attenuata, and in M. muelleri the cytoplasm of lens ⁄ filter cells contained NOSlike material. In C. braueri, a cell type located at a collecting chamber for luminous products in the photophore contained NOS-like material. All photophores received an innervation reaching the photocytes, as well as other components including lens ⁄ filter areas. The results of this study comply with an involvement of nitric oxide in the control of bioluminescence in several fish species.

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“…Like most mesopelagic organisms, they are bioluminescent and possess two kinds of bioluminescent structures (i.e. photophores and luminous organs) thought to play several different roles (camouflage, distraction, illumination and intra-and inter-specific communication) [Case et al, 1977;Edwards and Herring, 1977]. Myctophids also show marked intra-and interspecific variation in the depths they occupy [Karnella, 1987], their migration patterns [Watanabe et al, 1999] and the location of their luminous organs [Nafpaktitis and Nafpaktitis, 1969;Paxton, 1972;Nafpaktitis et al, 1977Nafpaktitis et al, , 1978Zahuranec, 2000;Herring, 2007;de Busserolles et al, 2013].…”

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confidence: 99%

Retinal Ganglion Cell Distribution and Spatial Resolving Power in Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae)

2014

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Topographic analyses of retinal ganglion cell density are very useful in providing information about the visual ecology of a species by identifying areas of acute vision within the visual field (i.e. areas of high cell density). In this study, we investigated the neural cell distribution in the ganglion cell layer of a range of lanternfish species belonging to 10 genera. Analyses were performed on wholemounted retinas using stereology. Topographic maps were constructed of the distribution of all neurons and both ganglion and amacrine cell populations in 5 different species from Nissl-stained retinas using cytological criteria. Amacrine cell distribution was also examined immunohistochemically in 2 of the 5 species using anti-parvalbumin antibody. The distributions of both the total neuron and the amacrine cell populations were aligned in all of the species examined, showing a general increase in cell density toward the retinal periphery. However, when the ganglion cell population was topographically isolated from the amacrine cell population, which comprised up to 80% of the total neurons within the ganglion cell layer, a different distribution was revealed. Topographic maps of the true ganglion cell distribution in 18 species of lanternfishes revealed well-defined specializations in different regions of the retina. Different species possessed distinct areas of high ganglion cell density with respect to both peak density and the location and/or shape of the specialized acute zone (i.e. elongated areae ventro-temporales, areae temporales and large areae centrales). The spatial resolving power was calculated to be relatively low (varying from 1.6 to 4.4 cycles per degree), indicating that myctophids may constitute one of the less visually acute groups of deep-sea teleosts. The diversity in retinal specializations and spatial resolving power within the family is assessed in terms of possible ecological functions and evolutionary history.

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Observations on the comparative morphology and operation of the photogenic tissues of myctophid fishes

Cited by 17 publications

References 4 publications

Eye-Size Variability in Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae): An Ecological and Phylogenetic Study

Eye-Size Variability in Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae): An Ecological and Phylogenetic Study

Evidence for a widespread involvement of NO in control of photogenesis in bioluminescent fish

Retinal Ganglion Cell Distribution and Spatial Resolving Power in Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae)

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