Oxygen uptake by the skin of the Canterbury mudfish, Neochanna burrowsius

Abstract

Canterbury mudfish (Neochanna burrowsius) were held in small respirometer chambers with a rubber dam separating head and body. Oxygen uptake by the head and by the body were determined in water and in air. In both media cutaneous O₂ uptake is a significant component (>43%) of total O₂ consumption (VO₂). In air, more carbon dioxide was lost to the body compartment than to the head compartment. With the head in air and the body in hypoxic water (PO₂ <20 mm Hg) there was no loss of O₂ to the water over 2 h, and VO₂ was maintained by an increase in O₂ uptake by the head.

Keywords:

• Neochanna burrowsius
• Galaxiidae
• air-breathing fish
• respirometry
• cutaneous oxygen uptake
• oxygen consumption (VO₂)