Journal Article

X-ray microtomography study of cranium, pectoral fin and girdle, and Weberian Apparatus development in juvenile Triplophysa stewarti (Nemacheilidae)

He, Y. and He, D.K.

Record Number:
6116
Year:
2023
Journal:
Journal of Ichthyology
Pages:
yy
Volume:
xx
PMCID:
http://doi.org/10.1134/S0032945223020078
Abstract:
Abstract—The stone loach genus Triplophysa is a major component of the Tibetan Plateau ichthyofauna, and its taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships are far from resolved. Skeletogeny patterns contain useful phylogenetic signals, but developmental data for Triplophysa are scarce. Here, we present an X-ray microtomography study of the development of the cranium, pectoral fin and girdle, and Weberian apparatus of juvenile Triplophysa stewarti (12–55 mm standard length). We reveal that the smallest juveniles possess a fontanelle and well-developed Weberian ossicles. Furthermore, the development of the cranium, pectoral fin and girdle, and bony capsule of the Weberian apparatus is illustrated, such as the suturation of preethmoid I to prevomer, the reduction of pectoral radials from four to three by fusion of the most internal two. A paired bony capsule fully enclosing the anterior swim bladder room characterizes the Weberian apparatus of nemacheilid and balitorid loaches. Our data demonstrate that the anterior wall of the bony capsule originates from a vertical plate expanded from the descending process 2, which is a homologue to the “anterior plate” in the superfamily Cobitoidea sensu lato, with the exception of Cobitidae. The lateral process 2 separates from this anterior plate. The horizontal process 4 expands anteriorly to meet the anterior wall, and when posteriorly expanded and curved downward, finally fuses with the bottom wall to close the bony capsule. Accelerated or retarded development of the aforementioned skeletal structures will result in differentiated features in Triplophysa and related nemacheilid genera. Keywords: Nemacheilidae, skeletogeny pattern, bony capsule, pectoral radial, preethmoid
Times Cited:
26
Relevent Species:
Triplophysa langpingensis Yang in Lan, Gan, Wu and Yang 2013Triplophysa fengshanensis Lan in Lan, Gan, Wu and Yang 2013Triplophysa tianlinensis Li, Li, Lan and Du 2016Triplophysa xichouensis Liu, Pan, Yang and Chen 2017Triplophysa nandanensis Lan, Yang and Chen 1995Triplophysa aluensis Li and Zhu 2000Triplophysa qiubeiensis Li, Yang, Chen, Tao, Qi and Han 2008Triplophysa microphthalma (Liao and Wang in Liao, Wang and Luo 1997) Kottelat 2012Triplophysa yunnanensis Yang in Wu 1990Triplophysa tianeensis Chen, Cui and Yang 2004Triplophysa xiangshuingensis Li 2004Triplophysa gejiuensis (Chu and Chen 1979) Chen, Yang and Xu 1992Triplophysa xiangxiensis (Yang, Yuan and Liao 1986) Chen, Yang and Xu 1992Triplophysa shilinensis Chen and Yang 1992Triplophysa tianxingensis Yang, Li and Chen 2016Triplophysa rosa Chen and Yang 2005Triplophysa macrocephala Yang, Wu and Yang 2012Triplophysa anshuiensis Wu, Wei, Lan and Du 2018Triplophysa baotianensis Li, Li, Liu and Li in Li, Liu, Li and Li 2018Triplophysa erythraea Liu and Huang in Huang, Zhang, Huang, Wu, Gong, Zhang, Peng and Liu 2019Triplophysa wulongensis Chen, Sheraliev, Shu and Peng 2021Triplophysa qini Deng, Wang and Zhang 2022Triplophysa luochengensis Li, Lan, Chen and Du 2017Triplophysa xuanweiensis Lu, Li, Mao and Zhao 2022Triplophysa wudangensis Liu, Zheng and Gong 2022Triplophysa qingzhenensis Liu, Zeng and Gong 2022