Sanderson S, Stebar M, Ackermann K, Jones S, Batjakas I, Kaufman L
J Exp Biol. 1996;199(Pt 8):1743-56. doi: 10.1242/jeb.199.8.1743.
A miniature fiberoptic endoscope was used to observe the processes of particle encounter and retention inside the buccopharyngeal cavity of suspension-feeding tilapia. Small particles (38 µm to 1.0 mm in diameter) were trapped in strands and aggregates of mucus, which usually slid posteriorly on the ceratobranchials of arches IIV towards the esophagus while the fish pumped water through the buccopharyngeal cavity. During stage 1 of periodic reversals of water flow inside the buccopharynx, mucus-bound particles usually lifted off the arch surfaces and travelled a short distance in an anterior or anterodorsal direction. During stage 2 of a reversal, the mucus usually resumed travel in a posterior or posteroventral direction and exited the field of view. Mucus was present less often during feeding on large particles (310 mm in diameter) than on small particles, and large particles were rarely observed to be attached to mucus. We discuss the advantages to suspension-feeding fishes of using aerosol filtration by mucus entrapment rather than sieving, and predict that many cichlid and cyprinid suspension feeders that consume bacteria and phytoplankton use mucus for aerosol filtration.
使用微型光纤内窥镜观察悬浮摄食罗非鱼口腔咽腔内颗粒的遭遇和滞留过程。小颗粒（直径38微米至1.0毫米）被困在黏液丝和聚集体中，当鱼通过口腔咽腔抽水时，这些黏液丝和聚集体通常会在第I至IV鳃弓的角鳃骨上向后滑动，朝向食道。在口腔咽腔内水流周期性逆转的第1阶段，黏附在黏液上的颗粒通常会从鳃弓表面抬起，并在向前或前背方向移动一小段距离。在逆转的第2阶段，黏液通常会恢复向后或后腹方向的移动并离开视野。与小颗粒相比，在摄食大颗粒（直径3至10毫米）时黏液出现的频率较低，并且很少观察到有大颗粒附着在黏液上。我们讨论了悬浮摄食鱼类通过黏液捕获进行气溶胶过滤而非筛分的优势，并预测许多以细菌和浮游植物为食的丽鱼科和鲤科悬浮摄食者会利用黏液进行气溶胶过滤。
