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We describe digestive enzyme activity during the larval development of spotted rose snapper, Lutjanus guttatus. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, leucine aminopeptidase, pepsin, amylase, lipase, and acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were evaluated using spectrophotometric techniques from hatching through 30 days. The spotted rose snapper larvae present the same pattern of digestive enzyme activity previously reported for other species in which pancreatic (i.e., trypsin, chymotrypsin, amylase, and lipase) and intestinal (i.e., acid and alkaline phosphatases and leucine aminopeptidase) enzymatic activities are present from hatching allowing the larvae to digest and absorb nutrients in the yolk-sac and live prey by the time of first feeding. The digestive and absorption capacity of the spotted rose snapper increases during the larval development. A significant increase in individual activity of all enzymes occurs at 20 DAH, and around 25 DAH, the juvenile-type of digestion is observed with the appearance of pepsin secreted by the stomach, suggesting that maturation of the digestive function occurs around 20-25 DAH. Our results are in agreement with a previous suggestion that early weaning may be possible from 20 DAH. However, the patterns of enzymatic activities reported in our study should be considered during the formulation of an artificial diet for early weaning of the spotted rose snapper.

The effect of incubation temperature on embryonic development and yolk-sac larva of the Pacific red snapper Lutjanus peru were evaluated by testing the effect of 26, 28 and 30°C, as this is the natural thermal interval reported during the spawning season of Pacific red snapper in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Sixteen developmental stages were observed. The incubation temperature affected the rate of development and time to hatching, being shorter at 30 than at 26°C, but no significant effect (P < 0.05) on larval length at hatching was registered. The depletion rate of yolk sac and oil globule was affected by incubation temperature particularly during the first 12 h post hatching (hph). At the end of the experiment (48 hph), significantly (P < 0.05) larger larvae were recorded at 26°C (TL = 3.22 ± 0.01 mm) than at 28°(TL = 3.01 ± 0.02 mm) and 30°C (TL = 2.97 ± 0.05 mm). Incubation of newly fertilized eggs at 26°C produces larger larvae, which may help to improve feeding efficiency and survival during first feeding.

Feeding incidence or number of larvae with preys (FIC) and intensity or number of prey per larvae (FIT) at first feeding of Pacific red snapper (Lutjanus peru) larvae was investigated under different conditions: prey type (rotifer and copepod nauplius) and density, nauplii size, light intensity, water temperature, salinity and microalgae concentration. Rotifers were not consumed at any prey density and FIC increased significantly when a high nauplii density (10 > 1, 0.1 mL À1 ) and light intensity (2000 > 1000, 500, 0 lx) were supplied. In a multifactorial experiment where light intensity (2000, 2500, 3000 lx), tank colour (grey and black) and prey type (nauplii and a mixed diet: rotifers and nauplii) were tested, a significant difference was found only for light intensity and prey type with a significant interaction between these factors. FIC was significantly higher with nauplii stage I-III than IV-VI and also at 25°C than at 28°C. Green water (0, 0.3 9 10 6 or 1 9 10 6 cells mL À1 ) and salinity (25, 30, 35 gL À1 ) did not affect FIC. FIT was not affected by any variables tested except in the density experiment where it was significantly higher at 10 nauplii mL À1 .

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