Structural and Mechanical Characteristics of the Heart of the Icefish Chionodraco hamatus (Lönnberg)

The absence of haemoglobin from the blood of icefish, antarctic teleosts of the family Chaenichthydae, has stimulated important physiological mechanisms which serve to compensate for the absence of the respiratory pigment. In view of the central role played by the circulation in meeting the oxygen demands of the tissues, it is not surprising to find that the cardiocirculatory system has been extensively remodelled in icefish. These adaptations include: (1) increases in blood volume, from two to four times larger than that in many teleosts (Hemmingsen and Douglas 1970; Holeton 1970); (2) increases in blood flow associated with lowered oxygen demands (Hemmingsen and Douglas 1970; Holeton 1970…