Different modes of swimming of the carp, Cyprinus carpio L.

An electromyographical study has been made of carp swimming muscles at various points along the body length during sustained and burst locomotion. During sustained swimming, red muscles show a constant time lag between activation of anterior and posterior segments which is practically independent of the speed of locomotion. In contrast, anterior and posterior homolateral segments are activated simultaneously during bursts of rapid movement. This pattern of co-ordination between body segments differs from that reported for other species.     

Oxygen uptake of carp,Cyprinus carpio,swimming in normoxic and hypoxic water

Synopsis Oxygen uptake (V_{o 2}) was measured in carp of approximately 40 cm length swimming at controlled variable oxygen tensions (P_{o 2}). At P_{o 2}> 120 mm Hg V_{o 2} increased with an increase in swimming speed from 5.6 to 11.3 cm · sec^–1. Extrapolation of V_{o 2} to zero activity at P_{o 2} = 140 mm Hg revealed a standard O₂ uptake of 36.7 ml O₂ · kg^–1 · h^–1 at 20° C. At the lowest swimming speed (5.6 cm · s^–1) the oxygen uptake increased when the water P_{o 2} was reduced. A near doubling in V_{o 2} was seen at P_{o 2} = 70 mm Hg compared to 140 mm Hg. At higher swimming speeds in hypoxic water V_{o 2} decreased relative to the values at low swimming speeds. As a result the slope of the lines expressing log V_{o 2} as a function of swimming speed decreased from positive to negative values with decreasing P_{o 2} of the water. pH of blood from the caudal vein drawn before and at termination of swimming at P_{o 2} = 70 mm Hg and 100 mm Hg did not show any decrease in relation to rest values at P_{o 2} = 140 mm Hg. Blood lactate concentration did not increase during swimming at these tensions.     

The biomechanics and evolutionary significance of thermal acclimation in the common carp Cyprinus carpio

The effects of thermal acclimation were investigated in the common carp Cyprinus carpio L. Acclimation and acute temperature effects were tested during ontogeny from larval [9.5 mm total length (L)] to juvenile (69.0 mm L) stages and between 8 and 21 degrees C. The myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition, myofibrillar Mg(2+)-Ca(2+)-ATPase activity, and muscle strains showed significant thermal acclimation effects. MHCs were only expressed in an acclimation temperature-dependent fashion in fish longer than 37 mm. During fast starts, the temperature had a significant effect on the white muscle strain (33% increase and 50% decrease with increasing acclimation and acute temperature, respectively) and contraction duration (25% decrease with increasing acute temperature). Increases in hydrodynamic efficiency (0.19 to 0.38) and hydrodynamic power requirements (Q(10) = 3.2) occurred with increasing acute temperature (10 to 20 degrees C). Competing hypotheses about the evolutionary significance of the temperature acclimation response were tested. Acclimation extended the temperature range for fast-start behavior, but no improvements in performance at the whole animal level were found between 8 and 21 degrees C.     

Longer flumes increase critical swimming speeds by increasing burst–glide swimming duration in carp Cyprinus carpio, L.

Carp Cyprinus carpio altered the repertoire of swimming behaviour with increased flume length. While the transition speed from steady to burst–coast swimming was unaffected by flume length, fish reached higher critical swimming speed ( U _crit), consequently swimming for longer periods of time in burst–coast mode and hence performing more work before becoming fatigued. Analysis of swimming behaviour of burst–coast swimming revealed an increase in duration and a decrease in distance of forward burst movements with increasing water speeds. Frequency was unaffected by water speed. Overall, longer flumes increased U _crit by allowing for less restricted burst–coast swimming behaviour.     

Evidence of weight dependent differential hematological response to increased environmental temperature by carp,Cyprinus carpio

Synopsis Hematological response to increased temperature was evaluated in carp acclimated to 2°, 16° and 30° C by reference to hemoglobin level, hematocrit, red cell number and mean erythrocytic volume and hemoglobin content. Although only modest variations were observed in terms of mean values, regression of these parameters against weight indicated that response in smaller specimens greatly exceeded that of larger animals. Variations in red cell numbers and hemoglobin were well correlated with plasma calcium, and it is suggested that temperature-induced hypercalcemia may play some role in the triggering of hemopoesis.     

Induction of immunosuppression to bacterial antigens in carp, Cyprinus carpio

Typical primary antibody responses were found after injecting carp maintained at 25°C with formalin-killed (Fk) Vibrio anguillarum bacteria, but not in fish injected with the same antigen held at 12° C. There were no significant increases over the primary responses in fish receiving a second injection 60 days after the first injection.
The differences in the results between fish groups receiving three V. anguillarum antigens at two dosages were found to be insignificant in most of the experiments. A comparison of the antibody titres of fish groups after challenge with Fk bacteria showed no difference from control fish receiving a single injection similar to the challenge dose or fish receiving a previous injection with the antigens emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) at 25° C. However, significant immunosuppression was found in fish that were given the primary injection intracardially at 25° C or 12° C, or with CFA emulsion at 12° C.     

Effects of temperature change on cortisol release by common carp Cyprinus carpio

Common carp Cyprinus carpio, stressed by fish handling practices, responded with a decrease in cortisol secretion when temperature was lowered from 20 to 14° C within 3·5 h compared to those kept at 20° C.     

Fasting goldfish, Carassius auratus, and common carp, Cyprinus carpio, use different metabolic strategies when swimming

Fish need to balance their energy use between digestion and other activities, and different metabolic compromises can be pursued. We examined the effects of fasting (7days) on metabolic strategies in goldfish and common carp at different swimming levels. Fasting had no significant effect on swimming performance (U(crit)) of either species. Feeding and swimming profoundly elevated total ammonia (T(amm)) excretion in both species. In fed goldfish, this resulted in increased ammonia quotients (AQ), and additionally plasma and tissue ammonia levels increased with swimming reflecting the importance of protein contribution for aerobic metabolism. In carp, AQ did not change since oxygen consumption (MO(2)) and T(amm) excretion followed the same trend. Plasma ammonia did not increase with swimming suggesting a balance between production and excretion rate except for fasted carp at U(crit). While both species relied on anaerobic metabolism during exhaustive swimming, carp also showed increased lactate levels during routine swimming. Fasting almost completely depleted glycogen stores in carp, but not in goldfish. Both species used liver protein for basal metabolism during fasting and muscle lipid during swimming. In goldfish, feeding metabolism was sacrificed to support swimming metabolism with similar MO(2) and U(crit) between fasted and fed fish, whereas in common carp feeding increased MO(2) at U(crit) to sustain feeding and swimming independently.     

Investigation on carp, Cyprinus carpio L. gynogenesis

A reliable method for gynogenetic mass-production has been developed in carp ( Cyprinus carpio L.). The effect of different cold shock treatments applied after fertilization were examined. The yield of viable diploid gynogenetic animals could be significantly increased when the cold shock was applied 5 min or 15 min after fertilization. A negative correlation has been found between the effectiveness of these two treatments, so both were used on separate batches of eggs. By means of gynogenesis, the crossover frequency and map distance of the transferrin locus have been determined. Successful pilot experiments were made on grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella Val.) and sheatfish ( Silurus glanis L.) with respect to gynogenetic mass production.     

Induced triploidy in carp, Cyprinus carpio L.

A method for mass production of triploid carp was developed by the cold treatment of eggs after fertilization. Triploidy was demonstrated by cytophotometry and chromosome preparation techniques. Of the haploid embryos, 100% showed morphological abnormalities and died soon after hatching. Haploid embryos of maternal and paternal origin occurring in the course of cold treatment were distinguished by using a genetic marker. Among morphologically normal larvae, the frequency of triploidy was 100%, and the viability of the triploid embryos, larvae and the juvenile fish did not differ from the diploid control. Sex differentiation started in the triploid fish, but was greatly retarded. Gonad size and the small number of growing oocytes suggest that most of the triploid individuals will be sterile. Triploid carp grew at the same rate as diploid controls in the laboratory test.     

Reduced swimming abilities in fast-growing transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio associated with their morphological variations

Critical swimming speeds ( U _crit) and morphological characters were compared between the F₄ generation of GH-transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio and the non-transgenic controls. Transgenic fish displayed a mean absolute U _crit value 22·3% lower than the controls. Principal component analysis identified variations in body shape, with transgenic fish having significantly deeper head, longer caudal length of the dorsal region, longer standard length ( L _S) and shallower body and caudal region, and shorter caudal length of the ventral region. Swimming speeds were related to the combination of deeper body and caudal region, longer caudal length of the ventral region, shallower head depth, shorter caudal length of dorsal region and L _S. These findings suggest that morphological variations which are poorly suited to produce maximum thrust and minimum drag in GH-transgenic C. carpio may be responsible for their lower swimming abilities in comparison with non-transgenic controls.     

Genetic divergence between Cyprinus carpio carpio and Cyprinus carpio haematopterus as assessed by mitochondrial DNA analysis,with emphasis on origin of European domestic carp

Although common carp is the major fish species in Asian and European aquaculture and many domestic varieties have occurred, there is a controversy about the origination of European domestic common carp. Some scientists affirmed that the ancestor of European domestic common carp was Danube River wild common carp, but others considered it might be Asian common carp. For elucidating origination of European domestic common carp, we chose two representative European domestic common carp strains (German mirror carp and Russian scattered scaled mirror carp) and one wild common carp strain of Cyprinus carpio carpio subspecies (Volga River wild common carp) and two Asian common carp strains, the Yangtze River wild common carp (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus) and traditionally domestic Xingguo red common carp, as experimental materials. ND5–ND6 and D-loop segments of mitochondrial DNA were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and analyzed through restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing respectively. The results revealed that HaeIII and DdeI digestion patterns of ND5–ND6 segment and sequences of control region were different between European subspecies C. carpio carpio and Asian subspecies C. carpio haematopterus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that German mirror carp and Russian scattered scaled mirror carp belonged to two subspecies, C. carpio carpio and C. carpio haematopterus, respectively. Therefore, there were different ancestors for domestic carp in Europe: German mirror carp was domesticated from European subspecies C. carpio carpio and Russian scattered scaled mirror carp originated from Asian subspecies C. carpio haematopterus.     

Temperature acclimation in respiratory and cytochrome c oxidase activity in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

• 1.1. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to experimental temperatures of 12, 18, 24, 30 or 36°C for a 4-week period were used to investigate the effect of temperature acclimation on the frequency of opercular movement (FOM), growth and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) activity in heart, liver and muscle.
• 2.2. An exponential relationship between FOM and temperature after the first week (10₁₀ =1.76) disappeared after the second week.
• 3.3. The initially high FOM at temperatures of 30 or 36°C and the low FOM at 18 or 12°C changed over 4 weeks to approach the FOM of fish at 24°C.
• 4.4. This change in the relationship of FOM to temperature from highly dependent to independent appeared to be thermal compensation.
• 5.5. Heart and liver CCO activities were significantly affected by temperature, with the lowest activity at the approximate optimum temperature for growth, 24°C.
• 6.6. Highest CCO activities for heart and liver occurred at both the highest and lowest temperatures.
• 7.7. Among the three tissues, heart CCO activity was generally the highest and most affected by acclimation temperature.
• 8.8. Muscle tissue had the lowest CCO activity and was unaffected by temperature.
• 9.9. The high CCO activity at a cold acclimation of temperature 12°C was probably due to thermal compensation and the high activity at 36°C may have been a result of thermal stress.

     

The effect of temperature on immunoreactive glucagon plasma level in carp Cyprinus carpio

Plasma immunoreactive glucagon levels (IRG), plasma glucose levels and brain and liver glycogen concentrations were analyzed in carp (adapted to 15 degrees C) subjected to short-term temperature changes (1.6 or 11 h, at 5 degrees C or 28 degrees C, respectively) and to long-term temperature changes (21 months at 28 degrees C). The high temperature (28 degrees C) produced significant increases in IRG in both short and long-term experiments. Brain glycogen also decreased in both experiments whereas liver glycogen only changed in the long-term experiment. Low temperatures did not provoke any changes either in IRG or in liver glycogen, whereas brain glycogen decreased in the 1 h exposure. In short, under these conditions in carp, IRG did not respond to low temperature but could play an important role in high temperature acclimation.     

Plasticity of myosin heavy chain expression with temperature acclimation is gradually acquired during ontogeny in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) were reared from hatching until 61 mm total length (TL) at 21 degrees C. At 14 weeks and 20 weeks post-hatch, corresponding to initial lengths of 30 mm and 44 mm respectively, fish were acclimated to 10 degrees C using a rate of cooling of 1 degrees C per day. A statistical model was used to compare the time course in the change of white muscle myofibrillar ATPase activity with temperature acclimation. The myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition of white muscle myofibrils was investigated using peptide mapping. A significant increase in myofibrillar ATPase activity was observed after 2-3 weeks in the 44 mm group, but not until 4-5 weeks in the 30 mm group. when they had reached 37 mm TL. The MHC banding pattern of 120 mm TL fish acclimated to 10 degrees C or 21 degrees C for a minimum of 6 weeks were distinct from each other. The MHC peptide map characteristic of 10-degrees C-acclimated fish was not observed in individuals less than 37 mm length. We therefore conclude that the capacity to alter the composition and properties of myofibrils with cold acclimation is acquired in juvenile carp at around 37 mm TL.     

Coping strategies in a strongly schooling fish,the common carp Cyprinus carpio

Individual common carp Cyprinus carpio were screened repeatedly for risk taking (rate of exploration of a novel, potentially dangerous environment) and for competitive ability (success in gaining access to a spatially restricted food source). Marked differences in behaviour were evident, and significant consistency in individual responses across trials was found for both risk taking and competitive ability. In addition, there was a significant positive relationship between individual performance in these two contexts, with fish that explored more quickly in the novel environment tending to be among the first to gain access to restricted food. In two follow‐up studies, resting metabolic rate, blood lactate and glucose and the expression of the cortisol receptor gene in the head kidney and brain were compared in fish from the two extremes of the risk‐taking spectrum. Mass‐specific metabolic rate was significantly higher in risk‐taking than in risk‐avoiding fish, while plasma lactate and glucose concentrations and expression of the cortisol receptor gene were lower. It was concluded that a behavioural syndrome based on boldness and aggression exists in C. carpio, as it does in many other animals, and that this is associated with differences in metabolic and stress physiology (down to the genomic level) similar to those described in animals with different coping strategies.     

Microridges of oral mucosal epithelium in carp,Cyprinus carpio

Summary The surface of carp oral mucosa is characterized by various patterns of microridges about 0.3 m wide, 0.1 m high, and of various lengths. To elucidate the derivation and function of these microridges, the oral epithelium was examined by light- and electron microscopy. Microridges were present only on the surfaces of the superficial cells. Therefore, microridges on renewed superficial cells are presumed to be formed after old superficial cells have been discarded, and the various patterns of microridges found on the cell surface appear to indicate the progress of their development. In thin sections, the outer leaflet of the plasma membranes of microridges stained strongly with ruthenium red, and the underlying cytoplasm was packed with many fine filaments. The superficial cells contained many secretory vesicles that were PAS-positive but Alcian blue-negative at pH 2.5 and pH 1.0. However, after sulfation the vesicles gave a positive reaction with toluidine blue. These vesicles are secreted by exocytosis at the free surface of the cells. After release, the membranes of the vesicles are thought to be utilized for formation of microridges. On the basis of these observations, the possible function of microridges is discussed.This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan     

Cadmium-binding to transferrin in the plasma of the common carp Cyprinus carpio

In this study, it was investigated by autoradiography with radioactive cadmium after Western blotting of two-dimensional electrophoresis gels, to which proteins cadmium is mainly bound in plasma of common carp Cyprinus carpio. The obtained results demonstrate that in carp plasma, cadmium is primarily bound to two high molecular weight proteins. Relative small amounts are bound to a protein with M(r) approximately 60000. The other metal-binding protein, with M(r) approximately 70000 and pI approximately 6.7 was identified as transferrin. The conditional equilibrium constants for the binding of cadmium ions to the two metal-binding sites of this protein were calculated as logK(1)=5.40+/-0.12 and logK(2)=4.66+/-0.21, which are comparable to those of human transferrin under the same experimental conditions. Transport of cadmium in plasma of carp was found to be different from that of brown trout Salmo trutta and man, where cadmium is mainly bound to albumin and transferrin. The prominent binding of cadmium to transferrin can be explained by the absence or at least the very low concentrations in which albumin is present in carp plasma.     

Electrocardiograms recorded from the body surface of the carp, Cyprinus carpio

The electrocardiograms (ECGs) in five kinds of bipolar leads were recorded from the body surface of the carp under water. Each component constituting the ECG wave could be detected by the present method. The potentials of the ECGs recorded by the present method were relatively small, the values being 2-64 microV. The electrical axis in most carp was directed toward the right lateral side.