Fish mating experiment in space--what it aimed at and how it was prepared.
The code name 'MEDAKA' was given to the fish experiment in the IML-2 (the second International Microgravity Laboratory), a Space-shuttle mission (STS-65) carried out in July 1994. Medaka is the Japanese name for a small fresh-water fish, Oryzias latipes. This experiment titled 'Mating behavior of the fish Medaka and development of their eggs in space' aimed to present data for designing the future fish-culture in space. The Medaka experiment accomplished its objectives to the point of 100%. The fish mated, laid eggs in space, and these eggs developed normally to hatching (coming out as a baby fish) under microgravity. Its success totally depended on selection of the four fish sent to space. This paper describes the aims of the IML-2 Medaka fish experiment and how it was prepared, together with a brief report on what were achieved in space.
Ijiri
K
K
Radioisotope Center, University of Tokyo, Japan.
D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000235:genetics; D009990:Oryzias / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012107:Research Design; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013026:Space Flight; D013550:Swimming; D014893:Weightlessness