Chapter 44.1, Problem 2CC

Summary Introduction

To determine: The reason that the freshwater fishes are not osmoconformers.

Concept introduction: The fishes inhabit either in the fresh water or the marine water. The fresh water fishes are called as the“osmoregulators” and the marine fishes are called as the“osmoconformers”.

The osmoregulator mechanism helps the fresh water fishes to adapt the surrounding medium by the movement of salts and water across the gills of the fishes. This causes the body of the fishes to swell.

The osmoconformer mechanism in the marine fishes takes place by adapting their body to the changing conditions irrespective of the movement of salts and water.