Histochemical studies with microphotometric determinations of the lateral muscles in the sharksEtmopterus spinaxandGaleus melastomus

Abstract

In most fishes the fibre types of the axial muscles (musculus lateralis) are organized in separate groups. Commonly, there is an outer layer of red fibres of small diameter, medially there is a layer of larger, white fibres. With some modifications this scheme holds for the hagfish (Flood & Mathisen, 1962; Korneliussen & Nicolaysen, 1973), for sharks (Bone, 1966; Hagiwara & Takahashi, 1967; Brotchi, 1969) and for teleosts (e.g. Nishihara, 19673 Rayner & Keenan, 1967; Walker, 1971; Nag & Nursall, 1972; Patterson & Goldspink, 1972). The tail muscles of salamanders are similarly arranged (Sherkov, 1970; Totland, 1976 a, b).