A STUDY OF THE EXCRETORY SYSTEM OF PRISTOLEPIS MALABARICUS (GUNTHER) (PERCIFORMES : TELEOSTEI)
SHERLY P. ANAND *
OF ZOOLOGY, T.K.M.M. COLLEGE, NANGIARKULANGARA, HARIPPAD-690513, INDIA
K. C. JOHN *
SCHOOL OF APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES, M.G. UNIVERSITY, PATHANAMTHITTA-689653, INDIA
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The structure and function of the kidneys in teleosts vary with different modes of life in fresh and salt waters. Based on the classification of Ogawa (1961) the kidney of Pristolepis malabaricus belongs to the third type. This indicates that it is a highly advanced species. The kidney is divisible into a massive head kidney and an elongated trunk kidney. The head kidney has no excretory function. The trunk kidney is the main excretory part of the kidney, which is composed of nephrons. The latest studies on fish kidney by Liu et al. (1998) has helped to identify the genes involved in nephrogenesis. This can be used in the development of renal replacement therapies in future.