Caudal-fin lepidotrichia is composed of numerous segments, which are linked to each other by intersegmental joints. During fish growth, lepidotrichia elongate by the addition of new segments at their distal margin, whereas the length of each segment remains constant after it is formed. In the present paper, we examined whether the water temperature affects the segmentation pattern of the juvenile and adult caudal fin. For this purpose, zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae were exposed to three different temperature conditions (24°C, 28°C, and 32°C) from the pharyngula stage (1 day postfertilization [dpf]) to metamorphosis, whereas the control temperature (28°C) was applied to all the groups before and after this period. Results demonstrated that water temperature had a significant effect on the length of the segments of each lepidotrichium, at both the juvenile and adult stages. Moreover, at higher temperatures, there was a significant proximal shift of the position of the first bifurcation of the second lepidotrichium of the dorsal lobe. At all the experimental conditions, the length of proximal segment was not constant during fish growth, but it followed a discontinuous saltatory growth. Histological analysis of the proximal lepidotrichia segments revealed that the observed apparent growth of segments is the result of fusions between segments. Fusion occurs not by mineralization of the intersegmental joints, but by bone deposition around the joints.
Keywords: joints; lepidotrichia; phenotypic plasticity; segments; teleosts.
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