Dear researchers, I need your help!
Here I am attaching picture of tiny Oxynoemacheilus sp.
I was wondering how is it possible to count number of scales in Lateral line when fish has got such tiny scales.
BTW. I have tried to look in binocular but could not see anything :(
Thank you in advance,
Otherwise I am hopeless :(
Dear Tatia,
Nemacheilidae species may have different skin conditions and also the conditions may differ for the lateral line. Some species may have scaleless body in contrast to others with bodies covered with scales. Some species may have complete lateral line along the flank, whereas others have short lateral lines reaching different lengths along the body. Thus, I suggest that you look carefully to the specimens that you have and understand their body surfaces first and then try to understand what length the lateral line has in your fishes. Clarifying those points first, can help us to provide more helpful answers for you.
With my best wishes,
Gloria
Dear Ms. Arratia,
Thank you so much for your answer as I already mentioned in the post their body is covered very tiny scales and i had look in binocular and could not find anything, then Professor J. Freyhof told me that I should look on pores on Lateral line.
Anyway thank you for your replay!
Thus, .... if you could not find anything, as you write, have you search for pores of the lateral line? And what is the answer? A long or short lateral line or a reduced lateral line just posterior to the posterior margin of the head?
If, and it seems so, these analyzes are post-mortem, you can fix the fish and stain the scales or the pores. There is a variety of stains that you can use, protocols are fairly simple so that should not be a problem. In this way, you should be able to determine the scales number and position easier. Hope that helps.
Hi, thank you for your answer. I have done fish "cleaning and staining" method which is long procedure. I will search for the method which would help to stain pores. Because on this fish it's impossible to count scales.
Thank you so much for your answer.
It seems very difficult to find scales and count them. Although it is a good initiative to do the work that is very difficult in general.
But for which purpose you are so much interested to count these scales?? If you have any specific target on it, it's better to find some other criteria / methodology, instead of only scales...
You need a little magnification probably a dissecting microscope (10x) and then you may count the number of scales on the lateral line starting from the operculum upto the base of the caudal fin.
José Rui L. Paitio , Could you recommend me any protocol how to stain pores, please?
Tatia Kuljanishvili , I only know the protocol to stain scales but this paper may help you Article The lateral line system and its innervation in Lateolabrax j...
. In the case it may help, you may contact the main author he is very friendly and will surely help you. Apolologize for not be able to help you more.
Dear Tatia,
You need determinate, in this species has scales or not. Because number pores/neuromasts and number scales may differ. Furthermore staining pores/neuromasts is often intravital staining (fixed specimens can be alkaline phosphatase stained, and also gouashe or drafting ink).
In order to know this loach has scales and count it, try alizarine staining under a simplified procedure (this is quickly). Staining by alizarine under several hours, then KOH 1% (for specimens 5 cm and more - over night), and transfer to 70% ethanol. If don't too much staining, you should get high contrast of scales and dermal bones.
Best wishes, Aleksey.
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