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Peripheral innervation of Opsanus tao (oyster toadfish)
1Department of Zoology, University of Massachusetts.
Neuroscience Letters
|August 24, 1990
Summary
Dual innervation, where two axons innervate the same muscle endplate, was found in Opsanus tao, a higher teleost fish. This finding suggests either retained ancestral traits or convergent evolution in fish muscle innervation patterns.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Comparative Anatomy
- Ichthyology
Background:
- Dual innervation, with two distinct axons on a single endplate, is known in primitive fish but absent in higher teleosts.
- The innervation patterns of white muscle in the order Bachtrachoidiformes are not well-documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the innervation of white muscle in Opsanus tao, a representative of the Bachtrachoidiformes order.
- To determine if Opsanus tao exhibits dual innervation, a trait typically found in more primitive fish species.
Main Methods:
- Histological sectioning of Opsanus tao muscle tissue.
- Silver impregnation staining techniques to visualize nerve endings.
Main Results:
- Dual innervation was identified in the white muscle of Opsanus tao.
- This dual innervation was observed in a distributed pattern, innervating muscle fibers along their entire length.
- This is the first documented instance of dual innervation in a distributed pattern within a 'higher' teleost species.
Conclusions:
- Opsanus tao exhibits dual innervation in a distributed pattern, challenging previous assumptions about teleost innervation.
- This finding suggests Opsanus tao may have retained an ancestral dual innervation mode or evolved it convergently.
- Further research is needed to clarify the evolutionary significance of this unique innervation pattern in Opsanus tao.