Some Respiratory Properties of the Blood of Four Species of Antarctic Fishes

• Published in: Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology
• Main Author: Grigg, Gordon C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Elsevier BV 1967
• Subjects: poikilotherms; Antarctic fishes; respiratory properties; oxygen transport systems; 270602 Animal Physiology - Cell; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:9134/Respiratory_prop.pdf; https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:9134

1. Fishes in Antarctic seas live at a temperature lower than that at which most other poikilotherms remain active. 2. Hematocrit, absolute oxygen capacity and oxygen equilibrium curves were determined for whole blood from each of four related species of Antarctic fishes. These parameters were related to the habits and activity of each species. 3. Temperature increase was found to have a marked effect on the affinity of the blood for oxygen. This effect was compared with data from other fishes and found to be extreme in the Antarctic species. 4. These fishes are known to be stenothermal and geographically restricted in distribution. It seems likely that the sensitivity of their oxygen transport systems to temperature increase could provide at least some of the physiological basis for this.