Saturday, November 2, 2024
Fishery

Features for Adaptation of Fish Aquatic Environment

Adaptation is a natural phenomenon which is applicable to all living organisms including fish. It is the capacity possessed by the organism living in an environment to utilize the resources available within the environment, undergo development, reproduce at maturity and participate fully in all the ecologically essential dynamic processes that help in sustaining the ecosystem.

Fish is known to be capable of surviving in other environments into which they may be introduced, only if the ecological condition of the place is similar to that from which they were brought. They may need to develop certain structures which may allow their compatibility with the new place over time while some may fail. This however accounts for the restrictions of certain fish species to some water bodies in particular.

Most adaptive features in fish are inheritable which are passed on from generation to generation. Basically, there are three groups of such adaptive features namely; Structural, Physiological and Behavioral features.

1. Structural Features

The structural features are by far the most obvious to any observer. This include fins (dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and caudal fin), possession of spines or bony structures, presence or absence of scales on the body.

Other structures may be associated with differences in fish feeding habit due to variations in the position of the mouth, presence of different forms of dentition. While some have vomerine teeth-like structure, others may have granular or canine teeth-like structures.

The possession of adipose fin is another form of such adaptive features which is a modification of the dorsal fin and generally fish have streamlined body, which is more or less egg-shaped and tapering posteriorly thereby facilitating movement along water course without friction.

2. Physiological Features

Features for Adaptation of Fish Aquatic Environment

This includes the production of specific enzymes or certain physiological activities especially that are connected with feeding and digestion processes. The presence of fine and numerous gill rakers in some fish differentiates microphagous feeders from macrophagous feeders with few and very strong gill rakers.

3. Behavioral Features

Behavioral traits of fish may want to appear the same with physiological trait but, they are different in that the former is seen and known to be displayed by fish at all times. The persistent quick movement of the opercula plate in fish during water exchange for gas is different in fresh water fish species and marine with high salt content.

Similarly, the migratory pattern of some fishes and shellfishes from fresh water to marine or brackish water habitat or vice versa is an adaptive way to managing the salt level of the water bodies to match their needs during their life cycle.

Certain species of fish are prolific producers of young ones such as tilapia and some are mouth brooders. This habit is developed for the purpose of protecting young ones during adverse situations or on sighting enemy thereby ensuring species sustainability.

Read Also: Commercially Important Fish and Shell Fish Species

Read Also: Metabolic Wastes Complete Management Guide

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Benadine Nonye is an agricultural consultant and a writer with several years of professional experience in the agriculture industry. - National Diploma in Agricultural Technology - Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Science - Master's Degree in Science Education - PhD Student in Agricultural Economics and Environmental Policy... Visit My Websites On: 1. Agric4Profits.com - Your Comprehensive Practical Agricultural Knowledge and Farmer’s Guide Website! 2. WealthinWastes.com - For Effective Environmental Management through Proper Waste Management and Recycling Practices! Join Me On: Twitter: @benadinenonye - Instagram: benadinenonye - LinkedIn: benadinenonye - YouTube: Agric4Profits TV - Pinterest: BenadineNonye4u - Facebook: BenadineNonye

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