TEMPORAL VARIATIONS IN THE SKIN OF ATLANTIC SALMON SALMO-SALAR L

The thickness of the skin of Atlantic salmon increases throughout the first two years of life. This increase involves, principally, an increase in the connective tissue of the dermis, and occurs independently of sexual maturity. The concentration of mucous cells in the epidermis changes seasonally, being least during the winter period. No sexual dimorphism is observed in these features among sexually immature fish. The epidermis of precociously mature male parr is thicker and contains more mucous cells than that of sexually immature individuals. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved