spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

First published online March 16, 2007
Journal of Experimental Biology 210, 1183-1193 (2007)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2007
doi: 10.1242/jeb.000109
This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Van Wassenbergh, S.
Right arrow Articles by Aerts, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Van Wassenbergh, S.
Right arrow Articles by Aerts, P.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

Scaling of contractile properties of catfish feeding muscles

Sam Van Wassenbergh1,*, Anthony Herrel1, Rob S. James2 and Peter Aerts1,3

1 Department of Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium
2 Department of Biomolecular and Sport Sciences, Coventry University, James Starley Building, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
3 Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000 Gent, Belgium

* Author for correspondence (e-mail: sam.vanwassenbergh{at}ua.ac.be)

Accepted 5 February 2007

Biomechanical models are intrinsically limited in explaining the ontogenetic scaling relationships for prey capture kinematics in aquatic vertebrates because no data are available on the scaling of intrinsic contractile properties of the muscles that power feeding. However, functional insight into scaling relationships is fundamental to our understanding of the ecology, performance and evolution of animals. In this study, in vitro contractile properties of three feeding muscles were determined for a series of different sizes of African air-breathing catfishes (Clarias gariepinus). These muscles were the mouth closer musculus adductor mandibulae A2A3', the mouth opener m. protractor hyoidei and the hypaxial muscles responsible for pectoral girdle retraction. Tetanus and twitch activation rise times increased significantly with size, while latency time was size independent. In accordance with the decrease in feeding velocity with increasing size, the cycle frequency for maximal power output of the protractor hyoidei and the adductor mandibulae showed a negative scaling relationship. Theoretical modelling predicts a scaling relationship for in vivo muscle function during which these muscles always produced at least 80% of their maximal in vitro power. These findings suggest that the contractile properties of these feeding muscles are fine-tuned to the changes in biomechanical constraints of movement of the feeding apparatus during ontogeny. However, each muscle appears to have a unique set of contractile properties. The hypaxials, the most important muscle for powering suction feeding in clariid catfish, differed from the other muscles by generating higher maximal stress and mass-specific power output with increased size, whilst the optimum cycle frequency for maximal power output only decreased significantly with size in the larger adults (cranial lengths greater than 60 mm).

Key words: prey capture, size, muscle physiology, power, Clarias gariepinus


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
J. Exp. Biol.Home page
A. M. Carroll and P. C. Wainwright
Energetic limitations on suction feeding performance in centrarchid fishes
J. Exp. Biol., October 15, 2009; 212(20): 3241 - 3251.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Biol LettHome page
A. M Carroll, A. M Ambrose, T. A Anderson, and D. J Coughlin
Feeding muscles scale differently from swimming muscles in sunfish (Centrarchidae)
Biol Lett, April 23, 2009; 5(2): 274 - 277.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Biol LettHome page
S. Van Wassenbergh, G. Roos, A. Genbrugge, H. Leysen, P. Aerts, D. Adriaens, and A. Herrel
Suction is kid's play: extremely fast suction in newborn seahorses
Biol Lett, April 23, 2009; 5(2): 200 - 203.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Neurosci.Home page
S. L. Hooper, C. Guschlbauer, M. Blumel, P. Rosenbaum, M. Gruhn, T. Akay, and A. Buschges
Neural Control of Unloaded Leg Posture and of Leg Swing in Stick Insect, Cockroach, and Mouse Differs from That in Larger Animals
J. Neurosci., April 1, 2009; 29(13): 4109 - 4119.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Exp. Biol.Home page
R. Holzman, D. C. Collar, S. W. Day, K. L. Bishop, and P. C. Wainwright
Scaling of suction-induced flows in bluegill: morphological and kinematic predictors for the ontogeny of feeding performance
J. Exp. Biol., August 15, 2008; 211(16): 2658 - 2668.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Exp. Biol.Home page
N. Konow and C. P. J. Sanford
Is a convergently derived muscle-activity pattern driving novel raking behaviours in teleost fishes?
J. Exp. Biol., March 15, 2008; 211(6): 989 - 999.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]




© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2007