• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.208-213
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• 2009

Histological examination of an individual of the Korean slender gudgeon Squalidus gracilis majimae having cutaneous albinism produced rarely in the wild was made and compared with a normal individual. The external body of the albino was colorless, differing from the normal individual, which has dense brownish black spots over its body surface. To make it clear through histological study, we observed eight skin regions: dorsal, lateral, ventral, upper caudal peduncle, lower caudal peduncle, dorsal fin, anal fin, and the eyes. These regional skins were the same in fundamental structure between albinic and normal gudgeon, but there were significant differences in distribution and development of pigment cells (melanins). In the normal gudgeon, the pigment cells were well developed over the regional skins except on the skin from the ventral region. However, it was confirmed in the albino that the pigment cells were vestigial over the upper regions of the eye and body but absent in the ventral region, lower caudal peduncle, and anal fin.