Gut morphology,feeding rate and gut clearance in five species of caddis larvae

Feeding rate, the rate of movement of food through the gut and gut morphology of large larvae of five caddis species (Halesus radiatus, Hydropsyche instabilis, Polycentropus kingi, Rhyacophila dorsalis and Potamophylax cingulatus) were investigated in the laboratory. Following 72 hr starvation, P. cingulatus and H. radiatus larvae became satiated (refused prey offered directly to the mouthparts) after consuming 8–11 and 9–13 mayfly nymphs (Baetis rhodani, 3.5–4.6 mm) respectively. Hunger level affected prey consumption. In P. cingulatus, the number of prey consumed over 24 h (at 9.5–12 °C) increased with starvation periods from 0–72 h, but declined following longer starvation periods. Six clearly recognisable gut states (defined by the position of food material in various parts of the gut) can be identified at different times since commencement of a meal. As environmental temperature increased (from 8–12 °C to 15–17 °C), the rate of change of the gut state increased and the food retention time decreased in all species. Feeding periodicity (i.e. nocturnal/diurnal activity) in the field was estimated based on the evacuation rate and the gut state and environmental temperature at the known time of collection. Initiation of consumption of prey appeared to coincide with emptying of the foregut and proximal midgut, whereas actual feeding continued until complete satiation when some threshold fullness of the foregut had been reached. The length of time food was held in the foregut was positively correlated with increasing specialisation of the foregut (particularly elaboration of the proventriculus).     

Effects of starvation and parasitism on foregut contraction in larval Manduca sexta

Larvae of Manduca sexta are parasitised by the braconid wasp, Cotesia congregata. In this study we examined whether contraction activity of the semi-isolated foregut was affected by parasitism. Parasitised larvae fed significantly less compared with unparasitised control larvae, therefore starved unparasitised animals were used as controls. Rate and force of foregut contraction in control caterpillars significantly increased with days of starvation. However, only contraction force in foreguts of parasitised larvae increased over time following infection. The presence of food in the foregut of caterpillars starved 7 days suggested that food moved anteriorly from the midgut and that contraction became antiperistaltic, but only normal peristalsis occurred in parasitised caterpillars. Rate and force of gut contractions may be controlled independently and starvation did not truly mimic the effects of the parasitoids. Dissection of caterpillars with emerged wasps indicated that 47% had a single wasp larva wedged between the brain and foregut. Removal of this wasp caused an increased rate of foregut contraction of the caterpillar. Brain removal resulted in an increased rate of foregut contraction only for unparasitised insects. Sectioning of the recurrent nerve temporarily eliminated foregut contraction, but the contraction began again in 250 s in parasitised caterpillars prior to wasp emergence, compared with over 500 s for unparasitised controls and parasitised caterpillars following wasp emergence.     

Starvation induced stress and the susceptibility of the Colorado potato beetle,Leptinotarsa decemlineata,to infection by Beauveria bassiana

Starvation of second instar Colorado potato beetle larvae for 24h immediately after treatment with Beauveria bassiana conidia increased susceptibility to the pathogen and subsequent sporulation of cadavers but decreased time to larval death. In feeding studies, B. bassiana-treatment had no effect on subsequent larval development, and mortality occurred 5-6 days after treatment. Twenty-four hours of starvation alone retarded subsequent larval development but did not affect mortality. Mortality of B. bassiana-treated starvation stressed larvae occurred 4-5 days after treatment. Both B. bassiana treatment and 24h starvation significantly reduced total foliage consumption and daily weight gains. On the day of treatment, B. bassiana had no effect on the efficiency with which food was converted to biomass (ECI). ECI was not affected by B. bassiana or starvation alone on the day following treatment but was significantly affected by a combination of both. When larvae were exposed to a range of limited food quantities, ECI decreased with decreasing food availability but only extreme stress (starvation for 24h) increased susceptibility to B. bassiana. Topical application of Dacryodes excelsa resin (an antifeedant) to potato leaves caused a concentration dependent reduction in foliage consumption and weight gain by second instar larvae but did not affect larval mortality. When larvae were exposed to a fixed concentration of B. bassiana and a range of antifeedant concentrations there were significant linear relationships between 24h larval weight gain and mortality and 24h larval weight gain and sporulation. The interaction between starvation stress and the susceptibility to B. bassiana infection is discussed and its possible implications in pest management considered.     

Early development of the digestive tract of cod larvae, Gadus morhua L., during start-feeding and starvation

Cod larvae, Gadus morhua L., were reared in the laboratory and released to a large marine enclosure 4 to 5 days after hatching (6–8° C). The development of the digestive system was studied until day 24 after hatching. Morphological investigations of the jaw apparatus and the digestive tract showed that the larvae are able to absorb ingested food well before exhaustion of the yolk sac. The foregut, and especially the midgut, were particularly active in lipid absorption, and the hindgut was characterized by pinocytotic activity. Duhng the first days of feeding, no distinct prey organisms were observed in the gut, and signs of food absorption in the epithelial cells of the gut were sparse.A distinct red fluorescence, restricted to the hindgut, was observed from day 11 to day 19. On the basis of changes in absorptive pattern in the gut we suggest that changes in digestive and absorptive abilities, as well as in nutritional needs, take place around days 15–17 after hatching.
In starved larvae, signs of degeneration of the gut tissue were first visible in the foregut. By day 9 after hatching, microvilli was degenerated to such an extent that the ability to absorb food must have been severely restricted. If larvae are starved longer than this, they will probably not survive.     

Satiation,digestive tract evacuation and return of appetite in the European minnow,Phoxinus phoxinus (Cyprinidae) following short periods of pre-prandial starvation

Synopsis In adultPhoxinus phoxinus (Cyprinidae), starvation for 4 or 16 days had no significant effect on the rate of foregut evacuation of the first satiation meal consumed after the starvation period. Starvation for 4 and 16 days had no significant effect on the rate of return of appetite after that first meal. A model based on the rates of foregut evacuation and return of appetite predicted that in the presence of excess food, the foregut contents would represent about 4% of total body weight. This prediction was corroborated experimentally. The effect of the length of starvation on the size of the first meal was not consistent. The results suggest that the hyperphagia noted in minnows starved for 16 days is a consequence of the persistence on succeeding days of the rates of evacuation and return of appetite achieved on the first day of realimentation.     

Size-dependent flight initiation by a lotic mayfly in response to a predatory fish

1. Laboratory experiments were performed to determine whether flight initiation by lotic mayfly larvae of Baetis tricaudatus exposed to the longnose dace ( Rhinichthys cataractae ) is affected by an individual's size and its physiological state.
2. We used a three factorial ANOVA design to test whether flight initiation distances (FIDs) were affected by Baetis size (small, large), starvation level (low, high), and the length of a predator-free foraging period (short, long).
3. FIDs were significantly affected by the interaction between Baetis size and starvation level, and the main level effects of starvation and Baetis size. FIDs of small larvae were unaffected by starvation level and the length of the predator-free feeding period, whereas starvation reduced FIDs of large larvae 2-fold.
4. Subsequent experiments showed that size-dependent differences in FIDs could not be attributed to size-specific differences in the economics of rates of food intake or gut evacuation. For both small and large larvae, food intake rates declined with increasing time spent foraging and both small and large larvae consumed the majority (70–75%) of food within the first 3 h of the 12-h feeding period. Similarly, gut evacuation declined with increasing starvation time and rates of evacuation did not differ between small and large larvae. These data suggest that size-dependent differences in flight initiation by Baetis larvae do not involve the energetics of food intake or processing.     

Size-dependent flight initiation by a lotic mayfly in response to a predatory fish

1. Laboratory experiments were performed to determine whether flight initiation by lotic mayfly larvae of Baetis tricaudatus exposed to the longnose dace ( Rhinichthys cataractae ) is affected by an individual's size and its physiological state.
2. We used a three factorial ANOVA design to test whether flight initiation distances (FIDs) were affected by Baetis size (small, large), starvation level (low, high), and the length of a predator-free foraging period (short, long).
3. FIDs were significantly affected by the interaction between Baetis size and starvation level, and the main level effects of starvation and Baetis size. FIDs of small larvae were unaffected by starvation level and the length of the predator-free feeding period, whereas starvation reduced FIDs of large larvae 2-fold.
4. Subsequent experiments showed that size-dependent differences in FIDs could not be attributed to size-specific differences in the economics of rates of food intake or gut evacuation. For both small and large larvae, food intake rates declined with increasing time spent foraging and both small and large larvae consumed the majority (70–75%) of food within the first 3 h of the 12-h feeding period. Similarly, gut evacuation declined with increasing starvation time and rates of evacuation did not differ between small and large larvae. These data suggest that size-dependent differences in flight initiation by Baetis larvae do not involve the energetics of food intake or processing.     

入侵早期食蚊鱼仔幼鱼食物组成、摄食策略及营养状况分析

饥饿是影响鱼类仔鱼早期存活的关键因素,入侵鱼类仔鱼耐饥饿能力对其种群增长与扩散意义重大。本文对滇池流域食蚊鱼Gambusia affinis奠基种群仔幼鱼摄食及仔鱼营养状况进行深入分析,初步了解了饥饿因素在食蚊鱼入侵早期种群增长中的影响。研究结果显示,该种群食蚊鱼仔幼鱼主要以枝角类、桡足类为食物,同时能够广泛利用栖息地食物资源,包括种类较为丰富的水生昆虫幼体、弹跳虫等,具有广食性的摄食策略,许多个体食物多样性指数>1。这些特点与其口裂较大、发育较为完善的特点密切相关。尽管如此,仍有高达73.27%的食蚊鱼仔鱼存在饥饿胁迫问题,可能与奠基种群自身生物学特点、仔鱼群体内部竞争、行为特点及环境资源差异化分布格局等因素密切相关。对奠基种群而言,入侵早期仔幼鱼面临陌生的栖息地生境,其摄食与营养状况对种群的定殖有关键影响。     

An ultrastructural study of alimentary tract development in the cercariae of Prosorhynchoides borealis (Digenea,Bucephalidae)

Podvyaznaya I. 2011. An ultrastructural study of alimentary tract development in the cercariae of Prosorhynchoides borealis (Digenea, Bucephalidae). —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 92 : 170–178. The development of digestive system in Prosorhynchoides borealis cercariae was studied using transmission electron microscopy. The foregut and caecum primordia arise in early cercarial embryos as two adjoining cellular cords. The primordial pharynx appears as a cluster of myoblasts in the mid‐part of the foregut primordium whose proximal end abuts onto the ventral embryonic tegument. Later, a lumen develops within the gut primordia and their component cells form the embryonic cellular epithelium with an essentially similar structure in the foregut and caecal regions. Subsequently, the foregut epithelial cells merge to form a syncytium. This process proceeds asynchronously and the most proximal foregut area remains cellular for the longest time. The syncytial lining of the foregut establishes syncytial connections with secretory cytons differentiating in the surrounding parenchyma. These cytons produce secretory granules, which are transported through cytoplasmic connections to the foregut syncytium. Before cercariae reach maturity, their foregut epithelium becomes anucleate and continuous with the external tegument. By the end of cercarial development, numerous short lamellae appear on the luminal surface of the caecal epithelium. The caecal cells become involved in secretory activity as indicated by the presence of Golgi‐derived secretory bodies in their cytoplasm.     

The effect of neonatal starvation on the growth,development and survival of larvae of the pine beauty moth,Panolis flammea (D & S)

Summary Mortality of neonatal pine beauty moth larvae varied from 0% to 100% depending on the duration of food deprivation and temperature. At 20°C and 100% RH all larvae had died by the fourth day of food deprivation, whereas at 10°C and 100% RH larvae survived for twelve days without food. Although larvae were able to survive at 15°C for up to seven days without food, establishment on thier host at this temperature was seriously affected by three days of starvation. No establishment took place after four days of starvation at 15°C. At 10°C establishment was significantly affected by starvation but not to such a marked degree. Establishment at both 15°C and 10°C was enhanced if the larvae were presented with a highly suitable host. The mean relative growth rate of those larvae reaching fifth instar was unaffected by the duration of their prefeeding starvation period. However, overall mean relative growth rates of the larvae were significantly affected by the duration of the starvation period. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to the population dynamics of this insect.     

Comparison of nutritional status of field and laboratory reared Balanus amphitrite Darwin (Cirripedia: Thoracica) larvae and implication of starvation

Experiments were carried out to evaluate the influence of rearing temperature and food concentration (20 and 30 °C, 1×10⁵ and 2×10⁵ cells ml⁻¹) on the starvation threshold and nucleic acid content of the larvae of Balanus amphitrite. The larvae were also field-reared using micro-enclosures. Laboratory-reared larvae were larger in size than the field-reared larvae. An increase in size, DNA content and instar index of the starved II instar larvae was observed indicating that the absence of food may not be fatal to this early instar. The temperature at which larvae were raised and the food concentration had variable influence on the capacity to withstand starvation. Exposure to increased temperatures during starvation eliminated the effect of doubling food concentration during their feeding period prior to starvation. The larvae reared at 20 °C had comparatively lower nucleic acid content. The laboratory-reared larvae had ca. 1.7 times greater RNA:DNA ratio than larvae raised at comparable temperature in the field.     

Influence of larval feeding history on the body condition of Amphiprion melanopus

The cellular condition of liver hepatocytes and the height of gut epithelium cells of larval Amphiprion melanopus were sensitive indicators of feeding condition. Muscle fibres of the trunk showed marked separation in fish fed every third day just prior to settlement. Low feeding regimes also caused reductions in growth, increases in larval duration and reductions in size at metamorphosis. Gut epithelium cell height was also influenced by fish standard length and age. This study suggests that gut epithelium cell height is a useful index for an examination of the importance of starvation of larvae in tropical waters; however, size and age standardization is required prior to comparisons of wild caught fish through time or with laboratory samples.     

饥饿胁迫对褐纹金针虫生理特征的影响

【目的】褐纹金针虫Melanotus caudex发生为害日趋严重。本研究分析饥饿环境条件下褐纹金针虫的生理特征变化,以期揭示其饥饿胁迫下的生理和生态适应对策。【方法】以2-3龄幼虫为试验的起始对象,以喂食小麦(中旱101)苗的褐纹金针虫为对照,在土壤和蛭石两种饲养环境条件下测定不同饥饿时期金针虫的存活率、活动性、蜕皮次数、体重、含水量及呼吸率的变化。【结果】饥饿胁迫下褐纹金针虫存活率、蜕皮次数与喂食(对照)组之间无显著差异,在饥饿120 d的情况下仍有90%以上的存活率,蜕皮次数10次左右,试虫在触碰时全部具有活动性。土壤和蛭石环境饥饿胁迫下褐纹金针虫的鲜重、干重分别呈下降趋势,与喂食组相比存在显著差异。处理120 d时,土壤和蛭石环境饥饿褐纹金针虫的含水量分别达到72.52%和72.22%,相应对照组的含水量分别为49.01%和51.37%,饥饿组含水量较喂食对照组显著升高。随饥饿处理时间的延长褐纹金针虫呼吸率表现为显著下降趋势,土壤和蛭石环境饥饿胁迫下褐纹金针虫的CO2释放率分别下降了62.11%和60.46%。【结论】褐纹金针虫具有较强的耐饥饿能力,在饥饿胁迫下可通过降低呼吸代谢的生理对策维持其生长发育(正常蜕皮)。     

A chymotrypsin-like serine protease cDNA involved in food protein digestion in the common cutworm, Spodoptera litura: Cloning, characterization, developmental and induced expression patterns, and localization

A full-length cDNA (Slctlp2) encoding a chymotrypsin-like serine protease was cloned from Spodoptera litura. This cDNA encoded a putative serine protease with a predicted molecular mass of 30.6 kDa, which contained a serine protease catalytic motif GDSGGPL. Temporal and spatial expression of Slctlp2 mRNA and protein detected by Northern blotting, RT-PCR, qPCR and Western blotting analyses revealed that both Slctlp2 mRNA and protein were mainly present in the foregut and midgut of the 5th and 6th instar larvae during the feeding stages. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry confirmed that both Slctlp2 mRNA and protein were predominately present in the midgut. Expression of the gene was not induced by bacterial infection. Juvenile hormone III induced the gene expression, while 20-hydroxyecdysone had no impact on the expression. The expression of Slctlp2 mRNA and protein was down-regulated by starvation but up-regulated by re-feeding. The SlCTLP2 protein was detected in the lumen residues of the anterior, middle and posterior midgut and feces of the feeding 6th instar larvae, suggesting that it was secreted from the epithelium into the lumen of the gut. The results suggest that this Slctlp2 gene may be involved in digestive process of food proteins during the feeding stages of the larval development.     

Change in significance of feeding during larval development in the yellow-spotted longicorn beetle, Psacothea hilaris

Larvae of the west-Japan type yellow-spotted longicorn beetle, Psacothea hilaris (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), show a long-day type photoperiodic response at 25 degrees C; under long-day conditions, larvae pupate after the fourth or fifth instar, while under short-day conditions, they undergo a few nonstationary supernumerary molts and eventually enter diapause. In the present study, the effect of food on the development and photoperiodic response of the larvae was examined with special reference to molting and pupation. Although the pupal body size was greatly affected by the food quality and the length of feeding, the critical day length for induction of metamorphosis at 25 degrees C was always between 13.5 and 14 h. Exposure to starvation of larvae reared on the standard diet revealed that the capability to pupate is acquired after a few days of feeding in the fourth instar. In the larvae that had acquired the capability to pupate, premature pupation was induced by exposure to starvation, indicating that feeding becomes dispensable long before it is normally terminated.     

抑制葡萄糖氧化酶基因降低黏虫幼虫对苏云金芽孢杆菌侵染的抗性(英文)

【目的】本研究旨在探讨葡萄糖氧化酶(glucose oxidase, GOX)在黏虫Mythimna separata发育、消化和免疫防御中的作用。【方法】采用转录组测序技术克隆了黏虫GOX基因的cDNA序列。qRT-PCR检测该GOX基因在黏虫不同发育阶段(1-6龄幼虫、蛹和1日龄成虫)和4龄第1天幼虫不同组织(前肠、中肠、后肠、下唇腺、马氏管、脂肪体和表皮)、以及取食用不同浓度(0.01%, 0.1%, 1%和10%)葡萄糖溶液浸泡10 s的玉米叶片及饥饿和再取食条件下的4龄第1天幼虫中的特异性表达模式。通过RNAi和生物测定研究该GOX基因在黏虫对苏云金芽孢杆菌Bacillus thuringiensis抗性中的功能。【结果】克隆获得了一条新的长2 187 bp的黏虫GOX基因MsGOX cDNA序列(GenBank登录号: KY348779),其开放阅读框长1 821 bp,编码606个氨基酸,预测分子量为66.4 kD。发育表达谱结果表明MsGOX在黏虫不同发育阶段表达量不同,在4龄幼虫期表达量最高;组织表达谱结果表明MsGOX在黏虫4龄第1天幼虫各组织中均有表达,在下唇腺中表达量最高。饲喂幼虫不同浓度葡萄糖对MsGOX转录的诱导效果不同,在葡萄糖浓度为10%时,该基因的表达水平达到最高。随着饥饿时间的延长,4龄第1天幼虫中MsGOX的表达水平逐渐升高,并在饥饿24 h时达到高峰,饥饿后再用玉米叶片饲喂幼虫,MsGOX的表达水平逐渐回升。注射dsMsGOX 48 h后,MsGOX的表达水平较对照(注射dsEGFP)降低了88.3%; 与同一时间点的对照相比,注射dsMsGOX后48和72 h幼虫 的体重、体长和消化系数均显著降低,苏云金芽孢杆菌侵染48和72 h提高了幼虫的校正死亡率。【结论】MsGOX可能参与了黏虫中肠的消化和抗菌,研究结果为进一步研究黏虫MsGOX的功能并提出新的黏虫防治策略提供了依据。     

食物和温湿度对二点委夜蛾幼虫取食和为害玉米苗的影响

【目的】调查显示,二点委夜蛾Athetis lepigone在田间的虫口密度与玉米被害率之间无明显的相关性,田间虫口密度并不能准确预测玉米苗被害率。为了探索二点委夜蛾幼虫发生量与玉米苗被害程度之间的关系,解释田间调查遇到的幼虫即使有时大量发生玉米苗却受损轻微的现象,本研究室内检测了外部环境条件如温度和湿度对二点委夜蛾幼虫取食为害玉米的影响以及昆虫自身的相关取食习性。【方法】将3龄末、4龄初二点委夜蛾幼虫分别置于下述8种温湿度和食物组合条件下进行处理：低温低湿无食物(15℃, 30%RH, 饥饿)、低温干燥无食物(15℃, 0%RH, 饥饿)、低温低湿有食物［15℃, 30%RH, 饲喂人工饲料(AD)］、低温干燥有食物(15℃, 0%RH, AD)、高温高湿有食物(36℃, 90%RH, AD)、高温干燥有食物(36℃, 0%RH, AD)、高温高湿无食物(36℃, 90%RH, 饥饿)、高温干燥无食物(36℃, 0%RH, 饥饿);处理4 h后,评价其对盆栽玉米苗的为害程度,并测定幼虫在4个不同温度(15℃, 24℃, 28℃和33℃)下对玉米叶片的取食量。分别用8种食物(马齿苋、紫苏、甘薯、白菜、大豆、南瓜和玉米叶叶片以及麦秸)将初孵幼虫驯化饲喂至3龄后,检测经过驯化处理后的幼虫对初始驯化食物、麦秸和和玉米叶片的选择性。【结果】在干燥条件下,无论是否经过饥饿处理,幼虫对玉米苗的为害程度均较高,尤其是高温干燥处理后,对玉米苗的平均为害级别达3.1级;低温干燥处理组和高温干燥处理组为害级别在4级以上(含4级)的幼苗数分别占幼苗总数的50%和40%。在15-33℃,二点委夜蛾幼虫的取食量随温度的升高而逐渐增加,48 h校正取食量分别为12.8, 31.8, 38.0和60.0 mg。用甘薯、白菜、大豆和南瓜叶片驯化的幼虫对初始驯化食物的选择率显著高于对玉米和麦秸的选择率;初始取食紫苏叶片的幼虫对紫苏和麦秸的选择率显著高于对玉米的选择性,初始取食玉米叶片、麦秸的幼虫分别对玉米、麦秸的选择性更高。【结论】干燥是二点委夜蛾幼虫增加对玉米摄入量的一个主要因素;二点委夜蛾适应短时高、低温的能力较强,在一定的温度范围(15-33℃),短时间内的取食量随温度升高而增加。作为干燥的一个辅助因素,温度通过影响二点委夜蛾幼虫的取食量而决定其为害玉米苗的程度;二点委夜蛾倾向于选择初孵幼虫最先接触的食物;二点委夜蛾在玉米苗上的发生为害在很大程度上取决于其自身食性。     

Starvation resistance of gypsy moth,Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae): tradeoffs among growth,body size,and survival

Summary Survival and body composition of starving gypsy moth larvae initially reared on aspen foliage or artificial diet differeing in nitrogen (N) and carbohydrate concentration were examined under laboratory conditions. Diet nitrogen concentration strongly affected starvation resistance and body composition, but diet carbohydrate content had no effects on these. Within any single diet treatment, greater body mass afforded greater resistance to starvation. However, starving larvae reared on 1.5% N diet survived nearly three days longer than larvae reared on 3.5% N diet. Larvae reared on artificial diet survived longer than larvae reared on aspen. Differences in survival of larvae reared on artificial diet with low and high nitrogen concentrations could not be attributed to variation in respiration rates, but were associated with differences in body composition. Although percentage lipid in larvae was unaffected by diet nitrogen concentration, larvae reared on 1.5% N diet had a higher percentage carbohydrate and lower percentage protein in their bodies prior to starvation than larvae reared on 3.5% N diet. Hence, larger energy reserves of larvae reared on low nitrogen diet may have contributed to their greater starvation resistance. Whereas survival under food stress was lower for larvae reared on high N diets, growth rates and pupal weights were higher, suggesting a tradeoff between rapid growth and survival. Larger body size does not necessarily reflect larger energy reserves, and, in fact, larger body size accured via greater protein accumulation may be at the expense of energy reserves. Large, fast-growing larvae may be more fit when food is abundant, but this advantage may be severely diminished under food stress. The potential ecological and evolutionary implications of a growth/survival tradeoff are discussed.     

Effects of food availability on larval development in the slipper limpet Crepidula onyx (Sowerby)

Effects of food availability on the larval survival and development of Crepidula onyx were studied in four experiments by feeding the larvae with different concentrations of the chrysophyte Isochrysis galbana and by starving the larvae for different periods of time. Food concentration had a clear impact on the survival, growth and development time of C. onyx veligers. Larval development occurred only at 10⁴ cells ml⁻¹ and higher algal concentrations. No shell increment was detected in the veligers cultured for 12 days at 10² cells ml⁻¹I. galbana or the blank control. At 10³ cells ml⁻¹, there was only a slight increase in shell length over 12 days. At 10⁴ cells ml⁻¹, about 40% of the larvae became competent in 18 days. At 10⁵ and 10⁶ cells ml⁻¹, more than 90% of the larvae reached competence in 7 days. Initial starvation negatively affected the larval development, but the sensitivity differed among parameters measured on day 5: lower survivorship was detected only for larvae that had suffered 3 days or longer initial starvation, whereas one-day initial starvation caused shorter shells and lower percentage of competent larvae. Three days of continuous feeding was required for 50% of the larvae to reach competence. After feeding for 3 days, most larvae could become competent to metamorphose even under starvation. The time of starvation was also critical: larvae that suffered 1-day food deprivation in the first 2 days of larval release had shorter shells and lowered percent competent larvae than those that suffered the same length of food deprivation in later stages of development. Our study thus indicates that both food concentration and short-term starvation have detrimental effects on the larval development of this species, and that once the larva has consumed certain amount of food, starvation may induce metamorphosis.     

仿刺参消化系统的组织学和组织化学研究

用组织学和组织化学方法研究了仿刺参的消化系统。消化道管壁由粘膜层、粘膜下层、肌层和外膜组成。粘膜层为假复层或单层的柱状细胞或立方细胞与粘液细胞。粘液细胞分布于前肠的前段和排泄腔。前肠和中肠上皮具蛋白酶、脂酶和非特异性酯酶活性。中肠上皮细胞游离端有密集微绒毛,游离端质膜呈碱性磷酸酶活性,上皮下有丰富的血窦,表明具吸收作用。