Terrestrial acclimation and exercise lead to bone functional response in pectoral fins.

The ability of bones to sense and respond to mechanical loading is a central feature of vertebrate skeletons. However, the functional demands imposed on terrestrial and aquatic animals differ vastly. The pectoral girdle of the basal actinopterygian fish was previously shown to exhibit plasticity following terrestrial acclimation, but the pectoral fin itself has yet to be examined.

Artificial turf infill associated with systematic toxicity in an amniote vertebrate.

Artificial athletic turf containing crumb rubber (CR) from shredded tires is a growing environmental and public health concern. However, the associated health risk is unknown due to the lack of toxicity data for higher vertebrates. We evaluated the toxic effects of CR in a developing amniote vertebrate embryo.

Integration and modularity of teleostean pectoral fin shape and its role in the diversification of acanthomorph fishes.

Phenotypic integration and modularity describe the strength and pattern of interdependencies between traits. Integration and modularity have been proposed to influence the trajectory of evolution, either acting as constraints or facilitators. Here, we examine trends in the integration and modularity of pectoral fin morphology in teleost fishes using geometric morphometrics.

Phenotypic plasticity of muscle fiber type in the pectoral fins of reared in a terrestrial environment.

Muscle fiber types in the pectoral fins of fishes have rarely been examined, despite their morphological and functional diversity. Here, we describe the distribution of fast and slow muscle fibers in the pectoral fins of , an amphibious, basal actinopterygian. Each of the four muscle groups examined using mATPase staining showed distinct fiber-type regionalization.

Locomotor flexibility of Polypterus senegalus across various aquatic and terrestrial substrates.

Amphibious fishes show wide variation in form and function. Examination of terrestrial locomotion in fishes has largely focused on highly specialized taxa. From an evolutionary perspective we are interested in how relatively unspecialized fishes locomote when exposed to different terrestrial environments.

Polypterus and the evolution of fish pectoral musculature.

Polypterus, a member of the most primitive living group of ray-finned fishes, has demonstrated the ability to perform fin-assisted terrestrial locomotion, a behavior that indicates a complex pectoral musculoskeletal system. Review of the literature reveals that many aspects of the pectoral muscular anatomy of Polypterus are still unclear, with a number of conflicting descriptions. We provide a new interpretation of the pectoral musculature using soft tissue-enhanced microCT scanning and gross anatomical dissection.

Developmental plasticity and the origin of tetrapods.

The origin of tetrapods from their fish antecedents, approximately 400 million years ago, was coupled with the origin of terrestrial locomotion and the evolution of supporting limbs. Polypterus is a member of the basal-most group of ray-finned fish (actinopterygians) and has many plesiomorphic morphologies that are comparable to elpistostegid fishes, which are stem tetrapods. Polypterus therefore serves as an extant analogue of stem tetrapods, allowing us to examine how developmental plasticity affects the 'terrestrialization' of fish.