The effect of pressure on the lateral swimming muscle of the European eel Anguilla anguilla and the deep sea eel Histiobranchus bathybius; results of Challenger cruise 6B/85 |
| |
Authors: | C S Wardle N Tetteh-Lartey A G Macdonald A A Harper J P Pennec |
| |
Institution: | DAFS, Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, UK. |
| |
Abstract: | 1. The viability of Histiobranchus lateral muscle was prolonged up to 7 times by recompression of the tissue. 2. The maximum twitch contraction force of both Anguilla and Histiobranchus was recorded at a pressure between 150 and 350 atm. At 1 atm Anguilla developed 60% maximum force and Histiobranchus 10-20% maximum force. 3. Twitch contraction time doubled for a pressure increase of 400 atm. This effect is predicted to halve the maximum swimming speed at 4000 m and is discussed in relation to muscle force and anaerobic support. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|