Morphometry and histochemistry of the gastrointestinal tract of Curimata mivartii (Characidae: Curimatidae)
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| Autors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | artículo original |
| Estat: | Versión publicada |
| Data de publicació: | 2026 |
| Descripció: | Introduction: Curimata mivartii is a freshwater fish endemic to the Magdalena-Cauca Basin in Colombia and classified as vulnerable to extinction due to habitat fragmentation, overfishing, climate change, and pollution. Understanding the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) characteristics is essential for developing appropriate nutrition protocols for captive breeding and conservation efforts. Objectives: To characterize the morphological, histological, and histochemical features of the gastrointestinal tract of adult C. mivartii specimens and identify adaptations related to their detritivorous feeding habits. Methods: In March 2022, 22 adult specimens (average weight: 177.5 ± 27.9 g) were analyzed using morphometric measurements, histological techniques, histochemical staining for mucin identification, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to examine the ultrastructure of the GIT. Results: The GIT consists of a short esophagus with abundant mucus-producing goblet cells and unique acinar glands, a curved stomach with distinct cardiac, fundic, and pyloric regions, and densely coiled intestine. The pyloric stomach is protected by a thick koilin membrane, like the gizzard in birds, indicating adaptation to a high-fiber detritus diet. Neutral mucins were detected throughout GIT, while carboxylated acidic mucins predominated in the intestine, suggesting specialized interactions with beneficial microbiota. TEM revealed specialized cellular adaptations in each GIT region, including microridges on esophageal epithelial cells, microvilli of gastric columnar cells, and the brush border of enterocytes. Conclusions: The GIT features of C. mivartii reflect adaptations to detritus assimilation and microphagy, with the comprehensive mucin mapping providing valuable insights for optimizing captive breeding protocols. These findings establish a foundation for future research on pathologies, diet adaptability, and nutritional health status of this vulnerable native species. |
| Pais: | Portal de Revistas UCR |
| Institution: | Universidad de Costa Rica |
| Repositorio: | Portal de Revistas UCR |
| Idioma: | Inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:portal.revistas.ucr.ac.cr:article/238 |
| Accés en línia: | https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rrbt/article/view/238 |
| Paraula clau: | detritivorous fish; digestive morphology; koilin membrane; microbiota, interactions; conservation breeding peces detritívoros; morfología digestiva; membrana koilin; microbiota; interacciones; cría de conservación |