Turkish Journal of Zoology
DOI
10.3906/zoo-1511-5
Abstract
This study investigated the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood, and muscle pH, and explored the characteristic of gut morphology (relative gut length) associated with trophic level in 6 freshwater teleosts. The results showed that GI pH differences among species and significant differences occurred in GI segments (P < 0.05). The lowest pH values were observed in the stomach of 2 typical carnivorous fish. An increased pH from proximal intestine to distal intestine was found in 4 species. A positive relationship was observed between blood and muscle pH values for these species (P < 0.05). Additionally, relative gut length revealed the trend of divergence depending on the feeding habits (in planktivores > omnivores > carnivores). A robust link was negatively found between relative gut length and trophic level (P < 0.05).
Keywords
Fish, pH, gastrointestinal tract, blood, muscle, gut length
First Page
713
Last Page
719
Recommended Citation
ZHANG, ZHIMIN; TIAN, XING; and LI, DAPENG
(2016)
"Tissue pH and gut ecomorphology in six freshwater teleostsoccupying different trophic levels,"
Turkish Journal of Zoology: Vol. 40:
No.
5, Article 8.
https://doi.org/10.3906/zoo-1511-5
Available at:
https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/vol40/iss5/8
