Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Influence of Temperature on the Number of Vertebræ in Fish

Abstract

THE number of vertebræ in fish is considered to vary with temperature during early development. From field observations, it is generally considered that fish subjected to low temperature tend to have more vertebræ than those in warmer waters. This was supported by the experiments of Gabriel1 on Fundulus heteroclitus, of Dannevig2 on Pleuronectes platessa, and of Kubo and Kobayashi3 on Oncorhynchus keta. On the other hand, Tåning4 showed that the lowest average number of vertebræ was obtained at an intermediate temperature, while both higher and lower temperatures produced a higher average in his experiment on Salmo trutta trutta. A similar result was obtained by Lindsey's5 experiments on Macropodus opercularis. Thus the results of experimental studies are not consistent.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Gabriel, M. L., J. Exp. Zool., 95, 105 (1944).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Dannevig, A., Rep. Norw. Fish. Mar. Invest., 9, 3 (1950).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kubo, T., and Kobayashi, T., Bull. Jap. Soc. Sci. Fish., 19, 297 (1953).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Tåning, A. V., Biol. Rev. (Camb.), 27, 169 (1952).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Lindsey, C. C., Can. J. Zool., 32, 87 (1954).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ITAZAWA, Y. Influence of Temperature on the Number of Vertebræ in Fish. Nature 183, 1408–1409 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/1831408b0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1831408b0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing