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Digestion

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Cyprinid Fishes

Part of the book series: Fish & Fisheries Series ((FIFI,volume 3))

Abstract

In temperate and tropical Eurasian fresh waters, cyprinid species are the most abundant fish, inhabiting several niches and eating a variety of foods, including plants. Despite the diversity of cyprinid feeding habits, from piscivory to herbivory, their intestinal tract varies only in length and is comparatively simple. The first one-third of the intestine, the intestinal bulb, is the main site of digestion and absorption, which can be divided into two main steps. (1) After being mechanically processed by pharyngeal teeth, the components of the diet are hydrolysed into smaller molecules. The enzymes for this phase of gross digestion are secreted by the pancreatic tissue into the lumen of the intestinal bulb. (2) The hydrolysis of fragments of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids is continued on the mucosal surface and, after absorption, in the mucosal cells (peptides, saccharides) or in hepatocytes (monoglycerides).

This chapter does not cover the whole field of digestion but concentrates on ecological aspects.

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  1. R. Hofer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Windermere Laboratory, Institute of Freshwater Ecology, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA 22 OLP, UK

    Ian J. Winfield

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Alberta, T6G 2E9, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Joseph S. Nelson

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© 1991 Ian J. Winfield and Joseph S. Nelson

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Hofer, R. (1991). Digestion. In: Winfield, I.J., Nelson, J.S. (eds) Cyprinid Fishes. Fish & Fisheries Series, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3092-9_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3092-9_14

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