23
After their radiation in the Cretaceous, teleosts were most successful fi sh group.
Representatives of Teleostei have been found to survive in extreme aquatic niches
like hot springs (up to 44 °C), alkaline lakes, or acid streams (Gash and Bass 1973 )
as well as in freezing Antarctic waters (Kellermann 1990 ), in the deep sea and in
shallow rivers.
Both fully movable maxilla and premaxilla, which form the biting surface
of the upper jaw, are characteristic features of the teleosts. Furthermore, the
movable upper jaw makes it possible for these animals to protrude their jaws
when opening the mouth. Teleosts possess fully symmetrical tails (see for detail
Diogo 2007 , 2008 ).
This taxon include eels, catfi sh, tuna, tarpon, fl ounder, halibut, trout, salmon,
cod, herring, and many other fi shes (see for review on teleost classifi cation Wiley
and Johnson 2010 ).
Bony fi sh habituate in all marine zones and are of amazing scientifi c interest
because of their diversity in shapes and sizes. They range in size from the pigmy
species like 7 mm large stout infant fi sh ( Schindleria brevipinguis ) to the up to 3 m
long bluefi n tuna ( Thunnus orientalis ).
Most teleosts are able to regulate the temperature of their bodies. However,
they are only slightly endothermic in comparison to mammals. Characteristic
representatives of endothermic bony fi sh are about 122 species such as bonitos,
cutlassfi shes, hairtails, kingfi shes, frostfi shes, scabbardfi shes, seerfi shes, albacores,
tuna, and wahoo. All of them belong to the Suborder Scombroidei.
Endothermy requires a lot of energy, however results in improved digestion,
better nerve signals, and greater muscle control. However, there are representatives
of bony fi sh that require psychrophilic conditions in order to survive. For example,
species of ice fi shes (family Channichthyidae) (see for review Eastman 2005 ; Kock
2005a , b ). They habituate in colder waters that hold more dissolved oxygen.
Correspondingly, their red blood cells became dispensable. Low temperatures
reduce the metabolic rates of the fi sh, reducing their demand for oxygen.
Because of some evolutionary innovations, including occurrence of both
antifreeze proteins and proteins which can work at cold temperatures, these
animals ultimately dominated (see for review Cheng and Chen 1999 ; Maher 2009 ).
According to Maher B ( 2009 ), “as competitors in the freezing Antarctic waters
disappeared millions of years ago, some icefi sh began to explore niches above the
sea fl oor, something for which they needed buoyancy,” (Maher 2009 ). It is
established that icefi sh had lost their swim bladders for a long time. Instead, their
originally hard mineralized skeletons began to soften. Here, we can speak about
some kind of adaptive osteoporosis in icefi sh species which are adapted “to living
happily with extreme anaemia,” (Maher 2009 ). This phenomenon mimics the
detrimental human condition osteopenia. Detrich and co-workers (Albertson et al.
2009 , 2010 ) proposed that these Antarctic fi shes can be useful as model systems
for better understanding of human diseases like osteoporosis. Especially unknown
genes and gene/environment interactions in icefi sh as evolutionary mutant models
are of crucial scientifi c interest.
1.2 Part I: Biomaterials of Vertebrate Origin. An Overview
After their radiation in the Cretaceous, teleosts were most successful fi sh group.
Representatives of Teleostei have been found to survive in extreme aquatic niches
like hot springs (up to 44 °C), alkaline lakes, or acid streams (Gash and Bass 1973 )
as well as in freezing Antarctic waters (Kellermann 1990 ), in the deep sea and in
shallow rivers.
Both fully movable maxilla and premaxilla, which form the biting surface
of the upper jaw, are characteristic features of the teleosts. Furthermore, the
movable upper jaw makes it possible for these animals to protrude their jaws
when opening the mouth. Teleosts possess fully symmetrical tails (see for detail
Diogo 2007 , 2008 ).
This taxon include eels, catfi sh, tuna, tarpon, fl ounder, halibut, trout, salmon,
cod, herring, and many other fi shes (see for review on teleost classifi cation Wiley
and Johnson 2010 ).
Bony fi sh habituate in all marine zones and are of amazing scientifi c interest
because of their diversity in shapes and sizes. They range in size from the pigmy
species like 7 mm large stout infant fi sh ( Schindleria brevipinguis ) to the up to 3 m
long bluefi n tuna ( Thunnus orientalis ).
Most teleosts are able to regulate the temperature of their bodies. However,
they are only slightly endothermic in comparison to mammals. Characteristic
representatives of endothermic bony fi sh are about 122 species such as bonitos,
cutlassfi shes, hairtails, kingfi shes, frostfi shes, scabbardfi shes, seerfi shes, albacores,
tuna, and wahoo. All of them belong to the Suborder Scombroidei.
Endothermy requires a lot of energy, however results in improved digestion,
better nerve signals, and greater muscle control. However, there are representatives
of bony fi sh that require psychrophilic conditions in order to survive. For example,
species of ice fi shes (family Channichthyidae) (see for review Eastman 2005 ; Kock
2005a , b ). They habituate in colder waters that hold more dissolved oxygen.
Correspondingly, their red blood cells became dispensable. Low temperatures
reduce the metabolic rates of the fi sh, reducing their demand for oxygen.
Because of some evolutionary innovations, including occurrence of both
antifreeze proteins and proteins which can work at cold temperatures, these
animals ultimately dominated (see for review Cheng and Chen 1999 ; Maher 2009 ).
According to Maher B ( 2009 ), “as competitors in the freezing Antarctic waters
disappeared millions of years ago, some icefi sh began to explore niches above the
sea fl oor, something for which they needed buoyancy,” (Maher 2009 ). It is
established that icefi sh had lost their swim bladders for a long time. Instead, their
originally hard mineralized skeletons began to soften. Here, we can speak about
some kind of adaptive osteoporosis in icefi sh species which are adapted “to living
happily with extreme anaemia,” (Maher 2009 ). This phenomenon mimics the
detrimental human condition osteopenia. Detrich and co-workers (Albertson et al.
2009 , 2010 ) proposed that these Antarctic fi shes can be useful as model systems
for better understanding of human diseases like osteoporosis. Especially unknown
genes and gene/environment interactions in icefi sh as evolutionary mutant models
are of crucial scientifi c interest.
1.2 Part I: Biomaterials of Vertebrate Origin. An Overview