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• Autor(a) principal: Rodrigues, Sirlene Souza
• Data de Publicação: 2006
• Outros Autores: Navarro, Rodrigo Diana, Menin, Eliane
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Biotemas (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/biotemas/article/view/21295

Anatomical adaptations of the buccopharyngeal cavity of Leporinus macrocephalus Garavello & Britski, 1988 (Pisces, Characiformes, Anostomidae) in relation of alimentary habit. The aim of this workwas to describe the anatomical adaptations of the buccopharyngeal cavity of Leporinus macrocephalus, a fish species of the family Anostomidae, since this cavity presents structural characteristics intimately related withthe alimentary habit. Twenty specimens of Leporinus macrocephalus were used, with length-patterns between 22 and 28 cm, supplied by the Station of Hydrobiology and Fish Farming of the Federal University of Viçosa.The results showed that Leporinus macrocephalus presents anatomical adaptations to the omnivorous alimentary habit, such as: a terminal mouth and small oral rift; thick, flexible inferior lips and with papillas, aiding the capture of the prey; an oral mucous membrane which is practically flat, allowing a fast disobstruction of the oral cavity; the presence of papillas in the pharyngeal mucous membrane, facilitating the movement of alimentary particles to the esophagus or aiding the apprehension of the prey; a buccopharyngeal cavity which is relativelylarge, allowing the passage of whole prey; incisiviform oral teeth that, with the aid of the adjacent oval papilla, accomplish the apprehension of the prey and pre-cardic preparation of vegetable food; unciform pharyngealteeth, responsible for the apprehension and maceration of the soft-bodied prey; numerous short gill-rackers, present in all the faces of the branchial arches, some of which are inserted inside others to form a filter thatprevents the loss of alimentary particles through the branchial rifts and protects the branchial filaments from possible lesions.