Reproductive performance of Macrobrachium acanthurus (Crustacea, Palaemonidae) females subjected to unilateral eyestalk ablation

RODRIGUES MM; LOPEZ GRECO L.S; FERREIRA DE ALMEIDA LC; BERTINI G

ACTA ZOOLOGICA

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2021

0001-7272

AbstractThe present study investigated the effects of eyestalk ablation on the reproductiveperformance of females from the native caridean shrimp Macrobrachium acanthurus. The reproduction parameters fertility, fecundity, egg volume, larvae size, lossof embryos and number of females with viable eggs/larvae were evaluated. Femalespresenting carapace length of 12?15 mm and spent stage of gonadal developmentwere divided into two groups, one undergoing unilateral eyestalk ablation and theother remaining intact. The specimens were kept in aquarium until ovarian maturation, then brought together with males for mating (proportion of two females for eachmale). Fecundity and fertility were greater in intact females (1,741 eggs and 1,045larvae) than in ablated ones (1,373 eggs and 741 larvae). Ablation also reduced thepercentage of females with viable eggs (68% intact versus 49% ablated) and larvae(82% intact versus 64% ablated), besides increasing the loss of embryos. Egg volumeand shape (ellipsoid) and larvae size were similar, as was the duration of embryonicdevelopment. The results of this study suggest that, although ablated females exhibita high rate of survival, their reproductive performance is reduced; therefore, the ablation technique is not recommended in M. acanthurus farming, so as to protect theanimals from physiological stress.KEYWORDScaptivity, cinnamon river shrimp, fecundity, fertility, spawning