Effects of eyestalk ablation on growth and food conversion efficiency of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium lanchesteri (de Man)

Bilateral eyestalk ablation in the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium lanchesteri results in high mortality, while unilateral eyestalk ablated prawns exhibited a high survival rate. There was marked increase in the growth of bilateral eyestalk-ablated prawns (47.70 mg/prawn) as compared to those that were unilaterally ablated (19.19 mg/prawn).     

Effects of eyestalk ablation and limb amputation on the moult cycle of the shrimp Penaeus chinensis

The shrimp Penaeus chinensis at moult stage D_o were subjected to one of the three following treatments: bilateral eyestalk ablation, amputation of the fifth pair of pereiopods, and both of the above treatments. Two consecutive ecdyses after treatments were followed. Intact animals served as control. Precocious moulting was exhibited in all treated groups. Eyestalk ablation shortened the time to the first ecdysis more than does limb amputation. Additive effect was found in shrimps receiving both treatments. The duration between the first and second ecdyses in treated shrimps was shorter than that of intact animals, but the durations in the three treated groups were not significantly different from one another. Regenerates of limbs appeared after the second ecdysis following limb amputation. Further, change of body colour from black and green to red and white was observed in shrimps with eyestalk ablation.     

THE PROGRAMMING OF SOMATIC GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION IN THE CRAB,PARATELPHUSA HYDRODROMOUS (HERBST)

In the Calicut population of P. hydrodromous, eyestalk principles are either directly or indirectly involved in maintenance of the differential growth rate of the sexes during the latter half of the first year of the life cycle. The prebreeding season (September—November), which is distinct in crabs 4.0 cm and over in carapace width (cw), is either absent or not distinct in young females (cw 2.8–3.2 cm), though the latter enter their first reproductive cycle by December, when 8–9 mth old. December—March is a period of active vitellogenic growth; from March onwards, there is a distinct swing in favor of somatic growth in females, though the proecdysis per se is not initiated until May. A typical brachyuran, Paratelphusa restricts its reproductive activity to intermolt and somatic growth chiefly to premolt; there are, however, definite phases within the intermolt itself when the physiological tilt favors somatic growth or alternatively reproduction. In females above cw 4.0 cm, the tendency for somatic growth is suppressed once they attain this cw after the monsoon (June—July) molt; eyestalk ablation during the prebreeding season precipitates accelerated ovarian growth. Administration of β-ecdysone in premolt titers failed to restrain this ovarian response and to promote somatic growth sufficiently. Conceivably, gonadal growth-promoting principles keep under check the responsiveness of the target tissues involved in somatic growth perhaps by affecting ecdysone receptors. The present investigations do not indicate a vitellogenesis-inhibiting role for β-ecdysone.     

脉冲YAG激光照射罗氏沼虾眼柄神经分泌细胞的电镜观察

本文通过脉冲ＹＡＧ激光照射罗氏沼虾（Ｍａｃｒｏｂｒａｃｈｉｕｍｒｏｓｅｎｂｅｒｇｉ）眼柄的神经分泌细胞,研究这些细胞的亚微结构有何变化。电镜观察表明：在一些神经分泌细胞中,电子密度大的染色质集中在核的中央区域;高尔基体和线粒体的双层囊膜断裂;核膜和胞膜的形状发生变化。     

The antagonism between somatic growth and testicular activity during different phases in intermoult (stage C4) in sexually mature freshwater crab,Paratelphusa hydrodromous

Summary

In adult males of the freshwater crab Paratelphusa hydrodromous, judging from testicular activity, November-May is the reproductively inactive season and June/July through October the active season. The reproductively active period also represents the mating season of this species. In males over one year old, moulting is an annual event scheduled during June/July and the individual remains in intermoult from July/August to May. This intermoult comprises two phases: (1) the reproductive phase (July/August through October) when the physiological emphasis is more on reproduction and much less on somatic growth (as evidenced by the ability to regenerate autotomized walking limb), (2) the somatic phase (February/March through May) when the emphasis is more on somatic growth and much less on reproduction. Thus there exists an antagonism between reproduction and somatic grown in male P. hydrodromous as already established in the female. Experimental studies suggest that the testicular inactive phase of P. hydrodromous is caused by a possible increase of titre of the gonad-inhibiting hormone (GIH) along with a decrease in titres of the gonad-stimulating hormone (GSH) and androgenic hormone (AH).     

Methyl farnesoate induced ovarian maturation in the spider crab,Libinia emarginata

Summary

To overcome the problem of getting crustaceans to reproduce in captivity, eyestalk ablation or X-organ sinus gland removal is commonly utilized in commercially important species such as shrimp. We have investigated the effect of unilateral and bilateral eyestalk ablation on methyl farnesoate (MF) production by mandibular organs (MOs) and on ovarian maturation in female spider crabs Libinia emarginata, a useful model since these animals are in a terminal molt and are devoid of a functional Y-organ. Non-reproductive, over-wintering female L. emarginata were induced to be reproductive by feeding and increasing the holding temperature to stimulate the endocrine system. In addition, we removed X-organ sinus glands by eyestalk ablation either unilaterally (UEA) or bilaterally (BEA) to further stimulate MF synthesis by MOs. Endogenous MF in the hemolymph was extracted and quantified by means of HPLC and in some cases by GC/MS. Oocyte growth and egg quality were studied simultaneously to determine how they were related to MF levels found during vitellogenesis. The initial MF concentration in unablated controls was low, 0.31 ng/ml of hemolymph, and this increased (p<0.05) to about 1 ng/ml by 2 weeks, remaining at about that level for the remainder of the experiment. Eyestalk ablation significantly stimulated MF concentrations by week 1 to nearly 2 and 3.5ng/ml in the UEA (p <0.01) and BEA (p <0.001) animals, respectively. Oocytes appeared to respond to increased MF levels, as ovarian maturation was initiated from the point at which MF increased (p <0.05). Thereafter, the rate of oocyte growth was directly correlated with the extent of elevation of MF. The gonado-somatic index [(GSI) = gonad weight/body weight × 100] of controls at the start was about 1.5 and increased to 6.5 by week 4. Mature oocytes were reached at a GSI around 7. Oocyte maturation was accomplished at week 2 in BEA, week 3 in UEA, and later than week 4 in controls. After maturation, oocytes started to degrade in some ablated animals, particularly in the bilaterally ablated ones where the highest MF concentrations were observed. These data indicate that MF elevations are required for stimulating ovarian maturation in Crustacea. MF appears to accelerate gonad development during the vitellogenic process, but may be deleterious at high concentrations. These results have a significant and important application and implications for aquaculture.     

Ontogeny of neuroendocrine centers in the eyestalk of Homarus gammarus embryos: an anatomical and hormonal approach

Summary

The ontogeny of the eyestalk neuroendocrine centers of the European lobster, Homarus gammarus, throughout embryonic development has been studied using light and electron microscopy, and the localization of specific neuroendocrine substances has been identified by immunocytochemistry. The procephalic lobes, which are the prospective eyestalks, develop progressively during embryonic development. In the nauplius stage two neuron masses are well defined. The visual structure originates from one of them and the neuroendocrine structure from the other. The four definitive optic ganglia are present at the mid-metanauplius stage and retain their appearance and location in larvae and adults. The organ of Bellonci, an internal sensory structure, appears at the mid-metanauplius stage and is mainly characterized by onion bodies. The medulla terminalis X-organ complex, an important neuroendocrine system, is present and already functional at the beginning of the embryonic metanauplius stage. Two neurohormones have been visualized immunocytochemically: the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) and the gonad inhibiting hormone (GIH). Both neuropeptides are localized in the perikarya of neuroendocrine cells of the X-organ as well as in their tracts joining the presumptive sinus gland. However, the sinus gland has only been observed in the early larval stages just after hatching.