OXYGEN CONSUMPTION IN HYPOGEAN AND EPIGEAN CYPRINIDS (PISCES)

Abstract

SUMMARY The oxygen consumption in the hypogean cyprinids from Somalia Barbopsis devecchii Di Caporiacco, 1926 and Phreatichthys andruzzii Vinciguerra, 1924 has been examined and compared to the related epigean species Puntius lateristriga (Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1842). Both in the test with a respirometer and under asphyxia, a lower oxygen consumption was found in the hypogean forms, the lowest consumption being shown by the species more adapted to the hypogean environment.