International Journal of Aquaculture, 2017, Vol.7, No.15, 101-105
104
In both marine and freshwater fishes, the xanthic pigmentation in general and the xanthic phenotype, in particular,
are uncommon variants (Palacios-Salgado and Rojas-Herrera, 2012), but golden phases in reef fish are relatively
common, especially in Hawaii and the Red Sea (Pattengill-Semmens, 1999). No xanthic phenotype for any fish
species was reported from India and in particular for the silver carp
H. molitrix
. Therefore, the present study is
important as it is report for the first time the appearance of the xanthic phenotype in reared
H. molitrix
specimens.
The case of xanthism in
H. molitrix
is consider a severe case with the complete disappearance of the melanic
chromatophores. Such result were observed in several fish species (Palacios-Salgado and Rojas-Herrera, 2012;
Pattengill-Semmens, 1999). Unlike other studies, the present xanthic phenotype has no areas on its body that
retain the original coloration. This means that a mutation in the gene for xanthophores in all body regions has
taken place that leads to a lost in the black pigments (Lister et al., 1999; Watanabe and Kondo, 2015). In zebrafish,
Odenthal et al. (1996) found that some mutation in about 7 genes will lead to faint or dark yellow colour.
Mutations can affect the nervous system and cause a reversible colour change, which leads to permanent colour
patterns. The xanthic pigmentation observed in
H. molitrix
appeared to be permanent and is probably the result of
a single gene recessive mutation (see Dunham and Childers, 1980). Because the occurrence of this xanthic
pigmentation of
H. molitrix
was not reported in other areas of the world, this mutation appears to have occurred
locally and subsequently spread throughout the relatively isolated gene pool.
References
Allen E.R., and Neill W.T., 1953, Xanthic largemouth bass (Micropterus) from Florida, Copeia, 1:116–117
Angus R.A., and Blanchard P.D., 1991, Genetic basis of the gold phenotype in sailfin mollies, Journal of Heredity, 82: 425–428
Béarez P., Trevi-o H., and Huamani I., 2006, Un caso de xantismo parcial en Aplodactylus punctatus (Teleostei: Aplodactylidae) del sur de Perú, Revista
Peruana de Biología 13: 113-115
Denoncourt R.F., 1976, Sexual dimorphism and geographic variation in the bronze darter, Percina palmaris (Pisces: Percidae), Copeia, 1: 54-59
Dunham R.A., and Childers W.F., 1980, Genetics and implications of the golden color morph in green sunfish, Progressive Fish-Culturist, 42: 160–163
Endler J.A., 1980, Natural selection on color patterns in Poecilia reticulata, Evolution, 34: 76-91
PMid:28563214
Kolar C.S., Chapman D.C., Courtenay W.R., Housel C.M., Jennings D.P., and Williams J.D., 2007, Bigheaded Carps: a Biological Synopsis and Environmental
Risk Assessment vol. 33. Amer Fisheries Society: Bethesda, MD, USA
Lister J.A., Robertson C.P., Lepage T., Johnson S.L., and Raible D.W., 1999, Nacre encodes a zebrafish microphthalmia-related protein that regulates
neural-crest-derived pigment cell fate, Development,126: 3757-3767
PMid:10433906
Mcilwain T.D., and Waller R., 1972, A xanthochroic gar, Lepisosteus oculatus, from Mississippi, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 101: 362-362
Odenthal J., Rossnagel K., Haffter P., Kelsh R.N., Vogelsang E., Brand M., Van Eeden F.J., Furutani-Seiki M., Granato M., Hammerschmidt M., and
Heisenberg C.P., 1996, Mutations affecting xanthophore pigmentation in the zebrafish, Danio rerio, Development, 123: 391-398
PMid:9007257
Oshima M., 1919, Contributions to the study of fresh water fishes of the island of Formosa, Annals of the Carnegie Museum, 12: 169-328
Palacios-Salgado D.S., and Rojas-Herrera A.A., 2012, Scientific Note Partial xanthism in a specimen of Acapulco major, Stegastes acapulcoensis (Teleostei:
Pomacentridae), from the Tropical Eastern Pacific, Pan-American Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 7: 175-177
Pattengill-Semmens C.V., 1999, Occurrence of a unique color morph in the smooth trunkfish (Lactophrys triqueter L.) at the Flower Garden Banks and Stetson
Bank, northwest Gulf of Mexico, Bulletin of Marine Science, 65: 587-591
Singh A.K., and Lakra W.S., 2011, Risk and benefit assessment of alien fish species of the aquaculture and aquarium trade into India, Reviews in Aquaculture,
3: 3-18
Smith C.L., 1971, A revision of the American groupers: Epinephelus and allied genera, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 146: 67-242
