Goldfish scale
Goldfish scale
Greetings. Attached is a pic of a scale from an olive colored fingerling goldfish, which I examined under the microscope. The colour giving cells (chromatophores) are mostly black octopus-like ones (melanophores) and the yellow xanthophores. Also visible are iridophores containing plates of iridescent guanine crystals. Together these cells give this particular goldfish its olive-metallic look - interesting enough, but regrettably not of much value as a show shubunkin.
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- scale4x.jpg (350.75 KiB) Viewed 2528 times
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- 0004.jpg (302.17 KiB) Viewed 2528 times
Re: Goldfish scale
Wow, that's remarkably interesting my friend.
I always thought in my shameful ignorance that a fish-scale was just an inert 'chunk of hard stuff'. This is the first time I've seen such a glimpse not only of course of the familiar growth-pattern of a scale, but the constituent parts that give it, as you say, it's particular characteristics.
This is a great example of why microscopy is such a fascinating pursuit. Detail is all around us, waiting simply for someone to 'be interested'. I find exactly the same fascination with plant structure and minutiae.
Thanks for a very nice post and description of the structures therein.
John B.
p.s. - I too would be very interested to see what a shubunkin's scale has to offer.... maybe just one wafer-thin scale wouldn't be missed - for the sake of science of course!
I always thought in my shameful ignorance that a fish-scale was just an inert 'chunk of hard stuff'. This is the first time I've seen such a glimpse not only of course of the familiar growth-pattern of a scale, but the constituent parts that give it, as you say, it's particular characteristics.
This is a great example of why microscopy is such a fascinating pursuit. Detail is all around us, waiting simply for someone to 'be interested'. I find exactly the same fascination with plant structure and minutiae.
Thanks for a very nice post and description of the structures therein.
John B.
p.s. - I too would be very interested to see what a shubunkin's scale has to offer.... maybe just one wafer-thin scale wouldn't be missed - for the sake of science of course!
John B
Re: Goldfish scale
THANKS! Fantastic photograph!