Cutaneous respiration in seven sea-water teleosts

The oxygen consumption of excised skin (MO2 is.cut.) and the normal cutaneous oxygen uptake by the skin in situ from the external medium (MO2 ext.cut.) were investigated in seven species of teleosts in normoxic sea water: butterfish (Pholis gunnellus L.), cod (Gadus morhua L.), five-bearded rockling (Ciliata mustela L), shanny (Blennius pholis L.), flounder (Platichthys flesus L.), sole (Solea solea L.) and eel (Anguilla anguilla L.). In the butterfish, cod and rockling, all the oxygen absorbed by the skin is consumed by the skin tissue itself, whereas in the other species there is a net inward transcutaneous oxygen flux. The gain of oxygen through the skin is obtained either by a low MO2is.cut. (shanny, flounder) and/or by high MO2ext.cut. (sole and eel). The blind side of the sole is particularly efficient in oxygen uptake. The results are discussed in relation to the biota of the different species.