Evolution of Sensory Systems: A Comparison of Antarctic and Deep-Sea Ichthyofauna
337
similarities are probably an adaptive evolutionary response to the similar
conditions that obtain in both environments. Despite the parallels,
however, in every case, the sensory adaptations of the deep-sea fishes are
much more extreme than those of their Antarctic counterparts. This
apparent partial adaptation may be related to a number of factors: {l) the
time scale for evolutionary changes is shorter in the Antarctic fishes by an
order of magnitude. (2) The notothenioids have remained primarily
inhabitants of the continental shelf and continental slope, and the majority
are not found in depths greater than 1000 m; thus the conditions faced by
Antarctic fishes are less extreme than in the deep-sea. (3) There are gaps in
our knowledge of the sensory biology of Antarctic fishes, particularly in
relation to the deeper-dwelling species, which probably lead to an
underestimation of the degree of sensory specialization exhibited by the
Antarctic notothenioids.
References
1. Montgomery JC, Pankhurst NW (1997) Sensory biology. In: Randall DJ,
Farrell AP (eds) Deep sea fish. Fish Physiology Series, Vol. 16. Academic
Press, San Diego, pp. 325-349
2. Eastman JT, Grande L (1989) Evolution of the Antarctic fish fauna with
emphasis on recent notothenioids. In: Crame JA (ed) Origins and evolution
of the Antarctic biota. US Geol Soc Spec Pub No. 47: 241-252
3. Bargelloni L, Ritchie PA, Patamello T, Battaglia B, Lambert DM, Meyer A
(1994) Molecular evolution at subzero temperatures: mitochondrial and
nuclear phylogenies of fishes from Antarctica (suborder Notothenioidei), and
the evolution of antifreeze glycopeptides. Mol BioI Evol 11 :854- 863
4. Kennett P (1977) Cenozoic evolution of Antarctic glaciation, the circumAntarctic ocean and their impact on global paleoceanography. J Geophysical
Research 82: 3843-3876
5. Long JA (1995) The rise of fishes. University of New South Wales Press,
Sydney
6. Paulin C, Stewart A, Roberts C, McMillan P (1989) New Zealand fish: a
complete guide. National Museum ofNZ Mise, Series 19: pp 279
7. Caprio J (1988). Peripheral filters and chemoreceptor cells in fishes. In:
Atema J, Fay RR, Popper AN and Tavolga WN (eds) Sensory biology of
aquatic animals. Springer-Verlag. New York. pp 313-338
8. Yamamoto M (1982) Comparative morphology of the peripheral olfactory
organ in teleosts. In: Hara TJ (ed.) Chemoreception in fishes. Elsevier, New
York, pp 39-59
9. Marshall NB (1979) Developments in deep-sea biology. Blandford Press,
Poole
10. Baird RC, Jumper GY (1993) Olfactory organs in the deep sea hatchetfish
Sternoptyx diaphana (Stomiiformes, Stemoptychidae). Bull Mar Sci 53:
1163-1167
337
similarities are probably an adaptive evolutionary response to the similar
conditions that obtain in both environments. Despite the parallels,
however, in every case, the sensory adaptations of the deep-sea fishes are
much more extreme than those of their Antarctic counterparts. This
apparent partial adaptation may be related to a number of factors: {l) the
time scale for evolutionary changes is shorter in the Antarctic fishes by an
order of magnitude. (2) The notothenioids have remained primarily
inhabitants of the continental shelf and continental slope, and the majority
are not found in depths greater than 1000 m; thus the conditions faced by
Antarctic fishes are less extreme than in the deep-sea. (3) There are gaps in
our knowledge of the sensory biology of Antarctic fishes, particularly in
relation to the deeper-dwelling species, which probably lead to an
underestimation of the degree of sensory specialization exhibited by the
Antarctic notothenioids.
References
1. Montgomery JC, Pankhurst NW (1997) Sensory biology. In: Randall DJ,
Farrell AP (eds) Deep sea fish. Fish Physiology Series, Vol. 16. Academic
Press, San Diego, pp. 325-349
2. Eastman JT, Grande L (1989) Evolution of the Antarctic fish fauna with
emphasis on recent notothenioids. In: Crame JA (ed) Origins and evolution
of the Antarctic biota. US Geol Soc Spec Pub No. 47: 241-252
3. Bargelloni L, Ritchie PA, Patamello T, Battaglia B, Lambert DM, Meyer A
(1994) Molecular evolution at subzero temperatures: mitochondrial and
nuclear phylogenies of fishes from Antarctica (suborder Notothenioidei), and
the evolution of antifreeze glycopeptides. Mol BioI Evol 11 :854- 863
4. Kennett P (1977) Cenozoic evolution of Antarctic glaciation, the circumAntarctic ocean and their impact on global paleoceanography. J Geophysical
Research 82: 3843-3876
5. Long JA (1995) The rise of fishes. University of New South Wales Press,
Sydney
6. Paulin C, Stewart A, Roberts C, McMillan P (1989) New Zealand fish: a
complete guide. National Museum ofNZ Mise, Series 19: pp 279
7. Caprio J (1988). Peripheral filters and chemoreceptor cells in fishes. In:
Atema J, Fay RR, Popper AN and Tavolga WN (eds) Sensory biology of
aquatic animals. Springer-Verlag. New York. pp 313-338
8. Yamamoto M (1982) Comparative morphology of the peripheral olfactory
organ in teleosts. In: Hara TJ (ed.) Chemoreception in fishes. Elsevier, New
York, pp 39-59
9. Marshall NB (1979) Developments in deep-sea biology. Blandford Press,
Poole
10. Baird RC, Jumper GY (1993) Olfactory organs in the deep sea hatchetfish
Sternoptyx diaphana (Stomiiformes, Stemoptychidae). Bull Mar Sci 53:
1163-1167