Although most fish are exclusively aquatic and ectothermic, there are exceptions to both cases.

Fish from a number of different groups have evolved the capacity to live out of the water for extended periods of time. Of these amphibious fish, some such as the mudskipper can live and move about on land for up to several days.

Also, certain species of fish maintain elevated body temperatures to varying degrees. Endothermic teleosts (bony fishes) are all in the suborder Scombroidei and include the billfishes, tunas, and one species of "primitive" mackerel (Gasterochisma melampus). All sharks in the family Lamnidae – shortfin mako, long fin mako, white, porbeagle, and salmon shark – are known to have the capacity for endothermy, and evidence suggests the trait exists in family Alopiidae (thresher sharks). The degree of endothermy varies from the billfish, which warm only their eyes and brain, to bluefin tuna and porbeagle sharks who maintain body temperatures elevated in excess of 20 °C above ambient water temperatures. See also gigantothermy. Endothermy, though metabolically costly, is thought to provide advantages such as increased contractile force of muscles, higher rates of central nervous system processing, and higher rates of digestion.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

flagcounter.com

free counters

Flag Counter

free counters

Followers

About this blog