Supercooling and osmoregulation in arctic fish

✍ Scribed by Scholander, P. F. ;van Dam, L. ;Kanwisher, J. W. ;Hammel, H. T. ;Gordon, M. S.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1957
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 913 KB
• Volume: 49
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0095-9898
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.1030490103

✦ Synopsis

It is generally recognized that the freezing point of the blood of most teleost fishes is around -0.5 and -03°C. (cp. Black, '51). I t is also known that Eskimos in many places catch fish through the sea ice, sometimes in the middle of the winter when the water temperature is -1.7" or colder. Hydrographic work during the summer by Iselin ('32) and Nutt ('53) established that the water at the bottom of several fjords in northern Labrador maintains a temperature of -1.7" to -1.8"C.; i.e., right at the freezing point of the fjord water. By dredging the bottom with a trawl, R. H. Backus brought to light a considerable fish fauna living at these extreme temperatures ( '51, '53).

The present investigation originated with a simple question directed to the senior author by Dr. R. H. Backus: "When arctic fishes swim about in ice water at -1.7" to -1.8", why don't they freeze? Do they have twice as high an oscmotic concentration as ordinary fishes, or what is the story?" Since the problem appeared attractively simple, it was decided to make a quick dash to Nain in northern Labrador in April 1953, and return with the answer, which was easy to guess Contribution no.