Fig. 8

Negative image of Fig. 7 to clarify scanning electron microarchitecture of the dorsal skin of the adult starry puffer fish showing: (a, b) Epidermal surface characterized by the presence of variable sized and shaped bricks-like elevations (arrowheads) arranged in a longitudinal manner, and odontic spines of variable heights (asterisks) emerging from hole-like sinuses (arrows). c, d High magnifications of the inner epithelial surface of the sinus. Note mucous cell openings (short arrows) with mucous secretions (twisted arrows), polygonal deep epithelial cells (keratinocytes) with extensive concentrically organized microridges (arrowheads) and distinct borders like ridges (barbed arrows). e, f Bricks-like elevations of the epidermis had variable shapes depressions (asterisks), characterized by the presence of abundant mucous cell openings that appeared as ant house colonies (arrowheads), and the superficial epithelial cells (barbed arrow). g High magnification of the edges of bricks-like elevations of the epidermis. Note the round to oval-shaped mucous cell openings (arrowheads), and the superficial epithelial cells (barbed arrow). h High magnification of the epidermal surface between elevations. Note the few mucous cell openings (arrowheads), and the deep epithelial cells with reduced microridges (barbed arrow)