Comparison of histopathological alterations due to sublethal CCl4 on rosy barb (Puntius conchonius) and amphioxus (Branchiostoma belcheri) with implications of liver ontogeny

This study was undertaken to examine the histopathological effects of CCl4 on rosy barbs and amphioxus with an aim to compare the homology between rosy barb liver and amphioxus digestive caecum. It was found that the 96 h LC50 values were 23.9 +/- 4 mg/L and 18.9 +/- 2 mg/L for rosy barbs and amphioxus, respectively. Histological examinations showed that exposure to sublethal CCl4 caused damage to the liver, kidney, and gill in rosy barb, and to the digestive caecum and gill in amphioxus. It is clear that both rosy barb liver and amphioxus digestive caecum were the prominent target organs of CCl4, suggesting that the digestive caecum in amphioxus is homologous to the liver in rosy barb at least in respect to toxic damages of CCl4.