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Email the author (Login required) Biochemical and physiological adaptations of Pacific fat sleeper (Dormitator latifrons) exposed to starvation and refeeding periods
Submited: 2024-05-28 15:17:52 | Published: 2025-04-30 20:11:45
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3856/vol53-issue2-fulltext-3285
Abstract
Starvation is a common process in many fishes, which rely on their energy reserves to cope. The Pacific fat sleeper (Dormitator latifrons) is an amphidromous fish distributed in the Eastern Pacific, found in marine and freshwater environments, and can tolerate wide ranges of temperatures and low oxygen levels. The present research studied the biochemical and physiological effects of different starvation and refeeding periods on fat sleeper juveniles and focused on understanding the use of energy reserves and health status. During starvation, the fat sleeper uses lipid reserves in the liver and mesentery fat as the primary energy source, but by the fourth week, an increase in serum protein and glucose levels suggests the use of muscle protein and initiation of mesentery fat as the primary energy source, using muscle protein and initiation of gluconeogenesis to maintain a glucose balance, indicating a metabolic shift towards long-term starvation. Intestinal morphology indices were affected by four starvation weeks; however, they showed a clear recovery by the end of the refeeding period. Albumin concentration was reduced after starvation, and globulin concentration increased, compromising fish health; nevertheless, normal levels at the end of the refeeding period were registered, while white blood cells did not recover normal values after four weeks of refeeding. Despite the partial compensatory growth observed, D. latifrons still prefer to use lipid sources during the initial three weeks of starvation without compromising their health. However, after four weeks, there is a switch to protein muscular use to cope with long-term starvation, which may compromise its health. Hence, D. latifrons show a high capacity to maintain homeostasis and restore their biochemical and physiological status.
