Abstract
The changes in volume in isosmotic medium show that the gut while taking in and giving out water through the mouth and anus is capable of altering the volume of the whole body. Such changes in volume, and therefore of pressure relations within, become significant when as the result of transfer to anisosmotic media, there is osmotic entry or escape of water, into and out of the haemolymph. In dilute medium the entry of water into the haemolymph increases its volume; and its pressure on the gut may not only check further entry of water but may facilitate filtration of hypotonic water from the haemolymph into the gut. In hyperosmotic medium, the loss of water and reduction of haemolymph volume are accompanied by increase of pressure from the more distended gut causing ultra filtration of dilute sea-water from the gut into the haemolymph. The decrease of the body volume in prawns acclimatised to dilute medium and the increase of body volume in concentrated medium, as well as the fluctuations in volume of prawns acclimatised to anisosmotic media, are features associated with the part played by fluid pressure in active regulation of water across the gut wall.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beadle, L. C... “Adaptation to changes of salinity in the Polychaetes,”J. Exp. Biol., 1937,14, 56–70.
Bethe, A... “Permeability of marine invertebrates to water and salts,”Pflug. Arch. ges. Physiol., 1934,234, 629–44.
Chapman, G... “The hydrostatic skeleton in the invertebrates,”Biol. Rev., 1958,33, 338–71.
Cotrell, C. B... “Observations on the hydrostatic mechanism involved in digging and expansion,”J. Exp. Biol., 1962,39, 431–43.
Croghan, P. C.... “The mechanism of osmotic regulation inArtemia salina. The physiology of the gut,” Ibid., 1958,35, 243–49.
Davson, H... “Vertebrate physiology from the point of view of active transport,”Symp. Soc. Exp. Biology, 1954,8, 16–26.
Gnanamuthu, C. P... “Notes on the anatomy and physiology of a parasitic Copepod,”Proc. Zool. Soc., 1948,118 (3), 591–606.
Gnanamuthu, C. P... “Determination of the volume and weight of living animals,”Nature, 1961,190, 826.
—————.. “Changes in volume of a prawn moulting in hypotonic sea-water,”Curr. Sci., 1965,34 (2), 53–54.
—————.. “Hydrostatic pressure of body fluids in relation to osmoregulation in brackish water prawn,”Ind. J. Exp. Biol., 1965,4, 271–72.
Huf, E... “Effects of hydrostatic pressure on water permeability of body surface of Crustacea,”Pflug. Arch. ges. Physiol., 1936,237, 240–50.
Hukuda, K... “Volume changes in marine animals,”J. Exp. Biol., 1932,9, 61–68.
Panikkar, N. K. and Viswanathan, R. “Active regulation of chloride inMetapenaeus monoceros,”Nature, 1948,161, 127.
Passano, L. M... “Chap. 15, Molting and its control,”The Physiology of Crustacea, Academic Press, New York, 1960.
Rao, K. P... “Oxygen consumption as a function of size and salinity,”J. Exp. Biol., 1958,35, 307–13.
Reddy, O. R. .. “Physiological studies on Crustacea,”Doctorate Thesis, (Unpublished), University of Madras.
Robertson, J. D... “Chap. 9. Osmotic and ionic regulation,”Physiology of Crustacea, Academic Press, New York, 1960.
Robinson, J. R... “Secretion and transport of water,”Symp. Soc. Exp. Biology, 1954,8, 42–62.
Waterman, T. H. and Wolvekamp, H. P. “Chap. 2, Respiration,”The Physiology of Crustacea, Academic Press, New York, 1960.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gnanamuthu, C.P. Changes in volume of a brackish water prawn in different media. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 64, 96–109 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03053897
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03053897