Fig 1.
Vertebrae bending index measurement.
The vertebrae bending index (VBI) = curve length of vertebral column (L, red solid line) / linear distance between the first vertebrae and urostyle (D, red dotted line).
Table 1.
Effects of thermal treatments on the body lengths and mortality in experiment 1.
Table 2.
Effects of thermal treatments on the body lengths and mortality in experiment 2.
Fig 2.
Lateral X-ray views of largescale mullet in Experiment 1.
Fish were maintained for (A) 2 weeks at 26°C, (B) 2 weeks at 36°C, (C) 4 weeks at 26°C, or (D) 4 weeks at 36°C prior to X-ray. Open arrows indicate kyphosis, and solid arrows indicate lordosis. Scale bar, 10 mm.
Fig 3.
Vertebrae bending index (VBI) of fish kept under different temperatures in Experiment 1.
Mean ± SEM, (*p < 0.05).
Fig 4.
Vertebrae bending index (VBI) in fish kept at 36°C for 6 weeks (heat-treatment stage), followed by 4 or 8 weeks of 36°C or 26°C (recovery stage) in Experiment 2.
Control groups were maintained at 26°C for both the heat-treatment and recovery stages. Mean ± SEM, (*p < 0.05).
Fig 5.
Lateral X-ray views of largescale mullet in Experiment 2.
(A) Fish were transferred to 26°C after the heat-treatment stage, or (B) exposure to 36°C was continued for another 8 weeks. Open arrows indicate kyphosis, and solid arrows indicate lordosis. Scale bar, 10 mm.