TY - JOUR
T1 - El grosor de la escala predice la resistencia a la punción de la piel en tres peces pleuronectiformes
AU - Minicozzi, M. R.
AU - Perez, J.
AU - Kimball, D. S.
AU - Gibb, A. C.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Wainwright Fund at Friday Harbor Laboratories (University of Washington) and through Northern Arizona University's NIH Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) grant (Grant Number Funding for this work was provided by the Wainwright Fund at Friday Harbor Laboratories (University of Washington) and through Northern Arizona University's NIH Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) grant (Grant Number 5R25GM056931).
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2019.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - In fishes, the skin and scales provide a physical barrier to the external environment and must withstand direct physical insult from biotic and abiotic features of the habitat. Flatfishes likely rely heavily on their scales for physical defense because they rest directly on the substrate. Using a flatfish model, we asked: what are the effects of scale type and scale morphology on puncture force resistance? We also asked: are there morphological and functional differences between the eyed and blind sides in flatfishes and do the morphological and functional properties of scales vary with organism size? Using a large size range of three species of Pleuronectid flatfish (Isopsetta isolepis, n=10; Parophrys vetulus, n=10; and Platichthys stellatus, n=12), we measured the force required to puncture the integument using a sample of skin+scales taken from the eyed and blind side of each individual. We also measured the diameter, area, and thickness of the scales of each individual. Scaling relationships (body length vs. variable of interest) were derived for each species and compared with a priori expectations of geometric similarity. We found no relationship between scale type and puncture resistance and no differences in morphological parameters or puncture resistance between the eyed and blind side within a given species. These flatfish species do vary in their ability to withstand puncture forces; however, once scale thickness is taken into account, species differences disappear. Thus, the ability of a flatfish to withstand mechanical insult from puncture-forces varies depending on the thickness of the scale.
AB - In fishes, the skin and scales provide a physical barrier to the external environment and must withstand direct physical insult from biotic and abiotic features of the habitat. Flatfishes likely rely heavily on their scales for physical defense because they rest directly on the substrate. Using a flatfish model, we asked: what are the effects of scale type and scale morphology on puncture force resistance? We also asked: are there morphological and functional differences between the eyed and blind sides in flatfishes and do the morphological and functional properties of scales vary with organism size? Using a large size range of three species of Pleuronectid flatfish (Isopsetta isolepis, n=10; Parophrys vetulus, n=10; and Platichthys stellatus, n=12), we measured the force required to puncture the integument using a sample of skin+scales taken from the eyed and blind side of each individual. We also measured the diameter, area, and thickness of the scales of each individual. Scaling relationships (body length vs. variable of interest) were derived for each species and compared with a priori expectations of geometric similarity. We found no relationship between scale type and puncture resistance and no differences in morphological parameters or puncture resistance between the eyed and blind side within a given species. These flatfish species do vary in their ability to withstand puncture forces; however, once scale thickness is taken into account, species differences disappear. Thus, the ability of a flatfish to withstand mechanical insult from puncture-forces varies depending on the thickness of the scale.
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U2 - 10.1093/iob/obz005
DO - 10.1093/iob/obz005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85104969824
SN - 2517-4843
VL - 1
JO - Integrative Organismal Biology
JF - Integrative Organismal Biology
IS - 1
M1 - obz005
ER -