Fishdunnit! Flounders Demonstrate Fish Carbonate Production (IMAGE)
Caption
Freshwater fish drink very little, while most marine fish ingest copious amounts of seawater to maintain salt and water balance. The European flounder is euryhaline and illustrates that no intestinal calcium carbonate is formed in freshwater (Figure A) and only a brief period in seawater results in the formation of x-ray opaque calcium carbonate precipitates in the intestinal lumen (Figure B). The calcium carbonate precipitates are formed regardless of feeding and are excreted to the surrounding seawater, where it impacts the pH balance.
Credit
Rod W. Wilson, Exeter University
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