Synopsis
Retinae from mesopelagic teleosts with adult ranges in the shallow, mid and deep mesopelagic zones, respectively, were examined by light microscopy. Retinal characteristics were described, and photoreceptor densities, outer segment dimensions, and convergence ratios measured from transverse sections. Juveniles of all species had lower photoreceptor densities, outer segment lengths and convergence ratios than adults. In species with multiple banks of photoreceptors, additional banks were added as the retina increased in size. A positive correlation was found between the degree of retinal specialisation for vision in dim light, and the depth of occurrence. The retina of each specimen was given a rank based on log unit changes in photoreceptor density and convergence ratio, the length of photoreceptor outer segments and the presence or absence of multiple banks of photoreceptors. Higher ranks (indicating greater retinal specialisation) were found among species occurring at greater depths. Among species showing a change in depth preference with growth, there was a corresponding increase in retinal rank. It is suggested that the proposed system of ranks has application in predicting the depth of occurrence of a species with a given pattern of retinal morphology.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Abercrombie, M. 1946. Estimation of nuclear population from microtome sections. Anat. Rec. 94: 239–247.
Blaxter, J.H.S. 1975. The eyes of larval fish. pp. 427–444. In: M.A. Ali (ed.) Vision in Fishes, Plenum Press, New York.
Boehlert, G.W. 1979. Retinal development in post-larval through juvenileSebastes diploproa: Adaptations to a changing photic environment. Rev. Can. Biol. 38: 265–280.
Dartnall, H.J.A. 1975. Assessing the fitness of visual pigments for their photic environment. pp. 543–563. In: M.A. Ali (ed.) Vision in Fishes, Plenum Press, New York.
Fernald, R.D. 1985. Growth of the teleost eye: novel solutions to complex constraints. Env. Biol. Fish. 13: 113–123.
Kleckner, R.C., J.D. McCleave & G.S. Wippelhauser. 1983. Spawning of American eel,Anguilla rostrata, relative to thermal fronts in the Sargasso Sea. Env. Biol. Fish. 9: 289–294.
Locket, N.A. 1975. Some problems of deep-sea fish eyes. pp. 645–656. In: M.A. Ali (ed.) Vision in Fishes, Plenum Press, New York.
Locket, N.A. 1977. Adaptations to the deep-sea environment. pp. 67–192. In: F. Crescitelli (ed.) The Visual System in Vertebrates, Handbook of Sensory Physiology 7/5, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Locket, N.A. 1980. Variation of architecture with size in the multiple-bank retina of a deep-sea teleost,Chauliodus sloani. Proc. R. Soc. B 208: 223–242.
Marshall, N.B. 1979. Developments in deep-sea biology. Blandford Press, Poole, Dorset. 566 pp.
Meyer-Rochow, V.B. & M.A. Klyne. 1982. Retinal organisation of the eyes of three notothenid fishes from the Ross Sea (Antarctica). Gegenbaurs morph. Jahrb., Leipzig 128: 762–777.
Munk, O. 1966. Ocular anatomy of some deep-sea teleosts. Dana Rep. 70: 1–71.
Munk, O. 1982. Cones in the eye of the deep-sea teleostDiretmus argenteus. Vis. Res. 22: 179–181.
Munk, O. 1984. Duplex retina in the mesopelagic teleostRadiicephalus elongatus Osorio, 1917. Vidensk. Meddr. dansk. naturh. Foren. 145: 183–199.
Munk, O. & R.D. Frederiksen. 1974. On the function of aphakic aperatures in teleosts. Vidensk. Meddr. dansk. naturh. Foren. 137: 65–94.
Munk, O. & J. Jørgensen. 1983. Mitoses in the retina of two deep-sea teleosts. Vidensk. Meddr. dansk. naturh. Foren. 144: 75–81.
Pankhurst, N.W. 1984a. Retinal development in larval and juvenile European eel,Anguilla anguilla (L.). Can. J. Zool. 62: 335–343.
Pankhurst, N.W. 1984b. Artificial maturation as a technique for investigating adaptations for migration in the European eel,Anguilla anguilla (L.). pp. 143–157. In: J.D. McCleave, G.P. Arnold, J.J. Dodson & W.H. Neill (eds.) Mechanisms of Migration in Fishes, Plenum Press, New York.
Patchell, G.J. 1979. The Westland hake fishery. New Zealand Fisheries Research Division Occasional Publication 31: 1–18.
Patchell, G.J. 1982. The New Zealand hoki fisheries 1972–82. New Zealand Fisheries Research Division Occasional Publication 38: 1–23.
Robertson, D.A., P.J. Grimes & P.J. McMillan. 1984. Orange roughy on Chatham Rise: results of a trawl survey. August–September 1982. New Zealand Fisheries Research Division Occasional Publication 46: 1–27.
Shapley, R. & J. Gordon. 1980. The visual sensitivity of the conger eel. Proc. R. Soc. B 209: 317–330.
Tyler, J.E. & R.C. Smith. 1970. Measurements of spectral irradiance under water. Gordon and Breach, New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pankhurst, N.W. Intra- and interspecific changes in retinal morphology among mesopelagic and demersal teleosts from the slope waters of New Zealand. Environ Biol Fish 19, 269–280 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00003228
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00003228