Abstract Full Text:PDF Recommended articles Mail to Author How to Cite

¹ Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Section Palaeontology and Geobiology, Department of Geo and Environmental Sciences, Munich, Germany
² Shiraz University, College of Sciences, Department of Biology, Shiraz 71454, Iran DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v11_3_10 Viewed : 4337 - Downloaded : 3619 This paper describes the morphology and microstructures of adhesive organ/disc (AO/AD) of the doctor fish, Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) in the Persian Gulf basin. Ecologically, this species prefer to lives in the bottom of streams and rivers, where they adhere to submerged rocks and stones with its adhesive apparatus located beneath the mouth opening. Adhesive organ consists of a crescent callus part and a modified labial fold which bearing numerous tubercles. Furthermore, adhesive apparatus comprise four basic units (fringed anterior labial fold, posterior labial fold, callous portion of disc, and posterior free margin of disc). The mouth in Garra rufa is surrounded by the “fringed anterior labial fold” in anterior part, which bears a large number of posteriorly directed fringes. Posterior labial fold also include some semi-spherical tubercles similar to those on the “fringed anterior labial fold”, but to some extend larger. However, it seems that there is a considerable relation between habitat characters (morphology and structure) and macro-micro shape and size of adhesive organs in fishes. Keywords : Ecology, morphology, adhesive apparatus, Persian Gulf, SEM