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Oil gland and oil pores in billfishes: in search of a function
- Source :
- Journal Of Experimental Biology (0022-0949) (The Company of Biologists), 2020-10, Vol. 223, N. 19, P. jeb224956 (7p.), Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal of Experimental Biology, The Company of Biologists, 2020, 223 (19), ⟨10.1242/jeb.224956⟩, Dhellemmes, F, Hansen, M J, Bouet, S D, Videler, J J, Domenici, P, Steffensen, J F, Hildebrandt, T, Fritsch, G, Bach, P, Sabarros, P S, Krüger, A, Kurvers, R H J M & Krause, J 2020, ' Oil gland and oil pores in billfishes : in search of a function ', The Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 223, jeb224956 . https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.224956
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- © 2020. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd. Billfishes are well known for their distinctive elongated rostra, i.e. bills. The functional significance of billfish rostra has been frequently discussed and the recent discovery of an oil gland (glandula oleofera) at the base of the rostrum in swordfish, Xiphias gladius, has added an interesting facet to this discussion regarding the potential co-evolution of gland and rostra. Here, we investigated the oil gland and oil pores (through which the oil is brought to the skin surface) of four billfish species - swordfish, Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), Indo-Pacific sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and striped marlin (Kajikia audax) - and provide detailed evidence for the presence of an oil gland in the last three. All four species had a high density of oil pores on the forehead which is consistent with the hypothesis of hydrodynamic benefits of the oil. The extension of the pores onto the front half of the rostrum in sailfish and striped marlin, but not in swordfish or blue marlin, suggests that the oil may have additional functions. One such function could be linked to the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of the oil. However, the available evidence on predatory rostrum use (and hence the likelihood of tissue damage) is only partly consistent with the extension of pores on rostra across species. We conclude that the oil gland probably serves multiple, non-mutually exclusive functions. More detailed information on rostrum use in blue marlin and swordfish is needed to better link behavioural and morphological data with the aim of accomplishing a full comparative analysis.
- Subjects :
- Physiology
[SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes
030310 physiology
Zoology
Aquatic Science
Biology
Comparative method
03 medical and health sciences
Kajikia audax
Animals
Striped marlin
14. Life underwater
Gladius
cvg
Fatty acids
Molecular Biology
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Glandula oleofera
030304 developmental biology
Rete lubricans
0303 health sciences
Billfish
Functional morphology
Blue marlin
Swordfish
cvg.computer_videogame
Rostrum
Fishes
Sailfish
biology.organism_classification
Perciformes
Co-evolution
Insect Science
Predatory Behavior
Hydrodynamics
Animal Science and Zoology
[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14779145 and 00220949
- Volume :
- 223
- Issue :
- Pt 19
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Journal of experimental biology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....24e140120eac3cf662db76a34676c53e