Habitats and Air Uptake Based on Analysis of Skin Structure of Two Korean Bullheads, Pseudobagrus brevicorpus and P. koreanus (Pisces; Bagridae}

The skin of the Korean bullheads, Pseudobagrus brevicorpus and P. koreanus, is composed of epidermis, dermis and subcutis. The epidermis has three layers, the outermost layer, middle layer and stratum germinativum. The epidermis consists of two types of gland cells, an unicellular mucous cell of sulfomucin and a large club cell having sometimes two nuclei. The epidermis has numerous intraepithelial blood vessels in P. brevicorpus but not at all in P. koreanus. Lymphatic spaces containing lymphocytes are well developed in mainly the stratum germinativum. The dermis lacks scales and consists mostly of bundles of coarse collagen fibers. The collagen bundles are arranged in parallel to each other in the dorsum and lateral region toward the dorsum, but vertically at intervals in the abdomen and lateral region toward the abdomen. Considering this unique skin structure, the two species are likely to exercise cutaneous respiration as a dual respiratory system to overcome hypoxic conditions which frequently occurs in their habitats.