title: Peripheral innervation of Opsanus tao (oyster toadfish).
abstract: Dual innervation, two morphologically distinct axons ending on the same endplate of white muscle, has been observed in some 'primitive' fish but not 'higher' teleosts. A representative of the order Bachtrachoidiformes, Opsanus tao, was examined using histological sectioning and silver impregnation to determine the innervation of its white muscle. The results demonstrate for the first time, dual innervation in the distributed pattern (innervation along the entire length of the white muscle fibers) in a 'higher' teleost. This indicates that Opsanus tao may represent a species of 'higher' teleosts that has either retained its ancestral mode of innervation (dual innervation) while exhibiting the derived distributed pattern or convergently evolved mode and pattern of innervation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Massachusetts.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Raso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000033:anatomy & histology*