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Journal of Experimental Biology 59,607-615 (1973)
Published by Company of Biologists 1973

Quantitative Studies of Muscle Glycogen Utilization During Sustained Swimming in Crucian Carp (Carassius Carassius L.)

I. A. JOHNSTON ¹ and G. GOLDSPINK ²

¹ Muscle Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX; Research Unit for Comparative Animal Respiration, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol B58 1UG
² Muscle Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX

1. The relationship between the wet weight of superficial red muscle and the wet weight of the remaining trunk musculature was found to have the form y = 0·036x+0·339. The average weight of superficial red muscle accounted for 7·4% of the myotomal mass.

2. A technique is described which allows quantitative studies to be made on glycogen utilization in these muscles for short periods of swimming. A total of 120 Crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.) were studied at six different swimming speeds ranging from 2·0-4·2 bodylengths/s.

3. The log₁₀ of the total glycogen utilization of the superficial red muscle was found to be linearly related to swimming speed.

4. Statistically significant glycogen utilization from the remaining myotomal musculature only occurred at speeds in excess of around 3 bodylengths/s. At these speeds the superficial red muscle only accounted for 15-20% of the total glycogen mobilized by the swimming musculature.

5. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to the division of labour between the myotomal muscles of fish.