Nitrogenous excretion in the Antarctic plunderfish

Boyce, S. J.. 1999 Nitrogenous excretion in the Antarctic plunderfish. Journal of Fish Biology, 54 (1). 72-81. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1999.tb00613.x

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Abstract/Summary

The nitrogenous excretion rates (total ammonia nitrogen, urea, and primary amines) of plunderfish Harpagifer antarcticus were related significantly to length and to wet mass (mass exponents of 0·94, 1·01, 1·07 and 0·93 for total ammonia nitrogen, urea, primary amines, and total nitrogen, respectively). The routine total ammonia excretion rates [22·23 & 2·0 mg N kg−1 day−1 (mean±S.E.)] of plunderfish measured in Antarctica are 10–69% lower than those of comparable non-polar species. Plunderfish are ammonotelic, but the proportion of the total nitrogenous waste attributable to each category was variable between individuals. On average (ranges in parentheses), total ammonia nitrogen, urea, and primary amines accounted for c.82 (57–97), 13 (2–28), and 5 (0·6–22)%, respectively, of the total nitrogen excreted. Polar fish differ from their non-polar relatives only in the rate, and not the nature, of their nitrogenous waste excretion processes.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1999.tb00613.x
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Pre 2000 programme
ISSN:	0022-1112
Additional Keywords:	nitrogen excretion, ammonia, urea, primary amines, Antarctic, Harpagifer antarcticus
Date made live:	21 Aug 2013 09:23 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/503030

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