Structure of barbel in sturgeon (Acipenser percicus)

Abstract

Acipenser percicus had a short pair snout barbel. It was 2-2.5 cm that is about 1.5% of its body length. Its diameter at the base was 2.5-3 mm and at its apex was 0.7-1 mm. Its epidermis was multilayered epithelium that had columnar cells, club cells and squamous cells. There were taste buds especially on the apex of barbel. The size of barbel was 50 jum in height and 25-30 µm in width. The dermis had collagen bundle similar to striated muscle. Myelinated fibers were in the core of barbel, they were for innervation of taste buds in the barbel. This fish had an elastic cartilaginous skeleton and the barbel of this fish was from flexible cartilage, with taste buds and without intrinsic muscle. © GSP, India.