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Red pigment epithelium of fish eyes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

A. C. G. Best
Affiliation:
The Laboratory, Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB
J. A. C. Nicol
Affiliation:
The Laboratory, Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB

Abstract

The eyes of characins (Characidae), pike, pickerel (Esocidae) and wrasses (Labridae) have a red pigment epithelium. There is no melanin, the epithelial cells containing red particles (erythrosomes). These are tiny cylinders in the cell processes, and spherules in the cell bases. In characins and pike, the red cylinders participate in retinomotor activity. Cylinders are birefringent and act as waveguides; they transmit long wavelengths (> 550 nm). The red pigment has been extracted and purified. It appears to be the same in the three families. Ultraviolet, visible and infra-red spectra are presented.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1984

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