The Photoreceptors of The Nurse Shark, and The Sting Ray,: Ginglymostoma Cirratum Dasyatis Sayr
The Photoreceptors of The Nurse Shark, and The Sting Ray,: Ginglymostoma Cirratum Dasyatis Sayr
The Photoreceptors of The Nurse Shark, and The Sting Ray,: Ginglymostoma Cirratum Dasyatis Sayr
ABSTRACT
A light microscopic study of the retina of the nurse shark, Gingly-
mostoma cirratum, and the sting ray, Dasyatis sayi, demonstrated two
types of receptors which had the main morphological characteristics of
rods and cones. The rods were very similar in both species but the cones
differed slightly-those of Dasyatis were more cone-like than those of
Ginglymostoma. The ratio of rods to cones was 7: 1 for Ginglymostoma
and 5: I for Dasyatis.
INTRODUCTION
The animals were taken on a bright sunny day in the Florida Keys
by harpooning. They were killed and the enucleated eyes placed im-
mediately in Kolmer's fixative. Best fixation was obtained by making
a cut in the cornea to allow the fixative to penetrate into the eye.
Routine paraffin sections of 4 to 5 JL were made, and the retinas were
stained with various stains, but the best differentiation of the receptors was
obtained with Mallory's Triple Stain. Both vertical and tangential sections
were studied.
OBSERVATIONS
TABLE 1
A VERAGEMEASUREMENTS AND COUNTS OF RODS AND
CONES FROM POSTERIOR POLE OF THE EVE
---
Rods Cones
Outer Inner Outer Inner Rod:
-S
segment
..
<1l
.•...•
segment
..c::
..
<1l
.•...•
segment
..c::
.•...•
..
<1l
.•...•
segment
-Seo
..
<1l
Cone
eo
Q
<1l
a to
Q
<1l
E Q
eo <1l
a c:
a:l
a
.2
~
<1l ell <1l ell <1l ell <1l :1:l 0::
.....l
is .....l
6 .....l
a .....l
6
(p,) (p,) (p,) (p,) (p,) (p,) (p,) (p,)
N egaprion hrevirostris* 16 2.6 15 2.3 8 1.5 11 4.7 12: 1
Gingiymostoma cirratum 17 2 16 2.5 8 1.5 10 6.2 7: 1
Dasyatis sayi 26 2 20 2 9 \.5 14 8 5:1
* From Gruber, et ai., 1963
1054 Bulletin of Marine Science (15(4)
The cones of Ginglymostoma were short and conical and measured
only 18 fl, in overall length. The outer segments were tapered and ex-
tended only to the level of the rod ellipsoid. They were lightly stained
and therefore difficult to see and photograph.
The inner segments of the cones averaged ] 0 fl, in length and 6.2 fl,
in diameter at the level of the parabaloid. The ellipsoids were heavily
stained while the parabaloids appeared empty except for a few large
granules.
Most of the nuclei of the cones of Ginglymostoma were difficult to
differentiate from those of the rods and in this way resembled those of
Negaprion. However, a significant number of the cone nuclei straddled
the outer nuclear limiting membrane and were thus easily identified. (see
Fig. 1).
A tangential section through the posterior pole of the eye is shown
in Figure 2. This photograph demonstrates clearly the difference in the
size of the inner segments of the rods and cones as well as the ratio
FIGURE3. Vertical Section of the retina of Dasyalis sayi. Five cones can be
seen in this section. Oil immersion; Mallory's Triple Stain; p.e.-pigment
epithelium; l.r.c.-Iayer of rods and cones; e.l.m.-external limiting membrane;
o.n.l.-outer nuclear layers; e-ellipsoid; p-parabaloid.
1056 Bulletin of Marine Science [15(4)
in diameter at the level of the parabaloid. The ellipsoids were heavily
stained while the parabaloids appeared empty except for a few large
granules.
Most of the cone nuclei were situated on the receptor side of the outer
limiting membrane and were thus located in the "myoid" portion of the
cone. The others were located immediately vitread of the outer limiting
membrane. Because of this arrangement, it was very easy to differentiate
the nuclei of the cones from those of the rods.
The rods of the Dasyatis were very similar to the rods of the other two
species examined. Thus, they were tall and cylindrical and extended into
the pigment epithelial cells. They had an overall length of 46 p.. with the
outer segment contributing 26 p.. to this. The diameter of the outer and
inner segments measured 2 p...
The inner segment of the rods consisted of the heavily stained ellipsoid
and the lighter stained parabaloid.
A tangential section, similar to that presented for Ginglymostoma, is
FIGURE 4. Tangential section of the retina of Dasyatis sayi. Because the sec-
tion was not perfectly tangential both cone ellipsoids and parabaloids can be
seen. Oil immersion, Mallory's Triple Stain.
1965] Hamasaki & Gruber: Elasmobranch Photoreceptors 1057
shown in Figure 4. Inasmuch as the plane of sectioning was not perfectly
tangential, both cone ellipsoids and parabaloids are seen. Note that the
large ellipsoids and parabaloids are surrounded by a single row of rods.
Contrary to the observation in Ginglymostoma, the number of cones in the
peripheral and central third of the retina were approximately the same. The
ratio of rods to cones in the posterior pole of the eye was 5: 1.
In both the Ginglymostoma and the Dasyatis as in the Negaprion, the
cones did not have oil droplets, and there was no evidence of double or
twin cones.
DISCUSSION
LITERATURE CrrED
GRUBER, S. H., D. 1. HAMASAKI, AND C. D. B. BRIDGES
1963. Cones in the retina of the lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris)
Vision Res., 3: 397-399.
HAMASAKI, D. I. AND C. D. B. BRIDGES
1964. Properties of the fish e.r.g. (Abstract) 4th Internal. Photobiology
Congress. Oxford, England.
PEDLER, C. AND RITA TILLY
1964. The nature of the gecko visual cell. A light and electron microscopic
study. Vision Res., 4: 499-510.
ROCHON-DuVIGNEAUD, A.
1943. Les Yeux et la Vision des Vertebn~s. pp. iii+7J9, figs. 1-500,
Masson, Paris.
WALLS, G.L.
1942. The vertebrate eye and its adaptive radiation. pp. vii+ 785, pI. 1,
197 figs. Cranbrook Press, Michigan.