Epidermal microstructures on the paired fins of marine sculpins suggest new functional hypotheses supporting benthic station-holding
Harsh environments, such as those with breaking waves and turbulent flows, present extreme challenges to organismal survival. Many animals exploiting these habitats possess adaptations to maintain position under dynamic flow conditions, such as reversible or permanent attachment systems. However, so...
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The Royal Society
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241965 |
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| author | Emily A. Kane Austin M. Garner Shubham Yadav L. Ann Hume Tom Pesacreta |
| author_facet | Emily A. Kane Austin M. Garner Shubham Yadav L. Ann Hume Tom Pesacreta |
| author_sort | Emily A. Kane |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Harsh environments, such as those with breaking waves and turbulent flows, present extreme challenges to organismal survival. Many animals exploiting these habitats possess adaptations to maintain position under dynamic flow conditions, such as reversible or permanent attachment systems. However, some station-holding fishes (e.g. sculpins) instead rely on morphological and behavioural modifications of their pectoral fins to increase friction with the substrate and combat drag. Despite epidermal microstructures on the fins of other benthic fishes, little exploration of pectoral fin surfaces at the microscopic scale has been undertaken in sculpins. Using scanning electron microscopy, we discovered microscopic, fibrillar projections contained within single cells on the ventral surfaces of the paired fin rays of two intertidal and two subtidal species of marine sculpins. In contrast to subtidal species, the intertidal species possessed epidermal cells with discrete channels separating groups of fibrillar projections. These features bear a striking resemblance to epidermal microstructures described in other fishes but have distinct morphological differences. We suggest the hypothesis that these previously overlooked features contribute to sculpin station-holding performance via enhanced mechanical interactions with the substrate, suggesting new taxa within which to explore potential mechanisms of underwater friction enhancement and adhesion. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1943fd87ed2e41f58510d4a8d7996f84 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-1943fd87ed2e41f58510d4a8d7996f842025-08-20T02:29:24ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032025-03-0112310.1098/rsos.241965Epidermal microstructures on the paired fins of marine sculpins suggest new functional hypotheses supporting benthic station-holdingEmily A. Kane0Austin M. Garner1Shubham Yadav2L. Ann Hume3Tom Pesacreta4University of Louisiana at Lafayette , Lafayette, LA, USADepartment of Biology & BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USAUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette , Lafayette, LA, USAUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette Microscopy Center , Lafayette, LA, USAUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette Microscopy Center , Lafayette, LA, USAHarsh environments, such as those with breaking waves and turbulent flows, present extreme challenges to organismal survival. Many animals exploiting these habitats possess adaptations to maintain position under dynamic flow conditions, such as reversible or permanent attachment systems. However, some station-holding fishes (e.g. sculpins) instead rely on morphological and behavioural modifications of their pectoral fins to increase friction with the substrate and combat drag. Despite epidermal microstructures on the fins of other benthic fishes, little exploration of pectoral fin surfaces at the microscopic scale has been undertaken in sculpins. Using scanning electron microscopy, we discovered microscopic, fibrillar projections contained within single cells on the ventral surfaces of the paired fin rays of two intertidal and two subtidal species of marine sculpins. In contrast to subtidal species, the intertidal species possessed epidermal cells with discrete channels separating groups of fibrillar projections. These features bear a striking resemblance to epidermal microstructures described in other fishes but have distinct morphological differences. We suggest the hypothesis that these previously overlooked features contribute to sculpin station-holding performance via enhanced mechanical interactions with the substrate, suggesting new taxa within which to explore potential mechanisms of underwater friction enhancement and adhesion.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241965unculimicroridgePsychrolutidaepectoral finfriction enhancementwater flow |
| spellingShingle | Emily A. Kane Austin M. Garner Shubham Yadav L. Ann Hume Tom Pesacreta Epidermal microstructures on the paired fins of marine sculpins suggest new functional hypotheses supporting benthic station-holding Royal Society Open Science unculi microridge Psychrolutidae pectoral fin friction enhancement water flow |
| title | Epidermal microstructures on the paired fins of marine sculpins suggest new functional hypotheses supporting benthic station-holding |
| title_full | Epidermal microstructures on the paired fins of marine sculpins suggest new functional hypotheses supporting benthic station-holding |
| title_fullStr | Epidermal microstructures on the paired fins of marine sculpins suggest new functional hypotheses supporting benthic station-holding |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epidermal microstructures on the paired fins of marine sculpins suggest new functional hypotheses supporting benthic station-holding |
| title_short | Epidermal microstructures on the paired fins of marine sculpins suggest new functional hypotheses supporting benthic station-holding |
| title_sort | epidermal microstructures on the paired fins of marine sculpins suggest new functional hypotheses supporting benthic station holding |
| topic | unculi microridge Psychrolutidae pectoral fin friction enhancement water flow |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241965 |
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