Seasonal changes in the intestinal mucosa of winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum), from Passamaquoddy Bay, New Brunswick

摘要: Winter flounder from Passamaquoddy Bay, N.B. undergo an annual fast November to May which results in a decrease the slope of length-weight relationship (3·17 2·54), condition factor (9 12%), liver (75%) and white muscle (24%) lipid contents, increase water content (2·4%). appear have sufficient reserves support winter fast, as declined only at onset feeding. The intestine could be divided into pyloric caeca (4), foregut, midgut hindgut. Mucosal folding was reduced all sections during fast. Goblet cell number declined, but little change enterocyte ultrastructure observed. Intestinal length remained same, although shortened. Overall, mucosal mass by 57% January, while surface area 50%. This value is less than that literature reports for shorter duration freshwater rainbow trout. We propose continued need salt transport osmoregulation maintains proximodistal gradient ameliorates effect starvation on area.