Growth and variations in lipid class and fatty acid composition during larval development of the stone crab,Menippe adinaWilliams and Felder, 1986

Abstract

Larval development in decapod crustaceans is marked by variable growth patterns and changes in weight and biochemical composition. Larvae of the stone crab, Menippe adina, were massreared under laboratory conditions (28 "C; 20%0 S) from hatching to the megalopa stage. Growth in M adina is exponential throughout the larval stages @= 10.395e~''~~, R2=0.98). Dry weight increased by 16-fold from the first to fifth zoeal stage (ZI-ZV), and by day 22 the average weight for megalopae was 272.5448.6pg. Iatroscan lipid class analysis revealed that polar lipids (>64%) and neutral lipids, of which steryl esters (>20%) were dominant, represent the major lipid classes in larvae at every stage. Free fatty acids and free sterols were present in small amounts, but there was no trace of diacylglycerols. Triacylglycerols represented on average 3% of total lipids. Total lipids of zoeae and megalopae contained substantial concentrations of palmitic (1 6:0), stearic (1 8:0), eicosapentaenoic (20:5w3), oleic (1 8: 1 w9) and arachidonic (20:4w6). Proximate biochemical composition revealed conspicuous variations during metamorphosis that appear cyclic in nature.

Young-Of-The-Year Stone Crab (Genus Menippe) Recruitment in the Gulf of Mexico Off Florida: Key Shallow-Water Hotspots

“…The two species are morphologically and genetically distinct, and in the Gulf of Mexico, hybridize off northwestern Florida (Bert 1986, Bert & Harrison 1988. Both species typically have five planktonic zoeal stages followed by a megalopal stage that settles to the benthic environment and metamorphoses to the first crab stage (Porter 1960, Nates & McKenny 2000. Presently, information on the distribution, abundance, and seasonality of young-ofthe-year (YOY) stone crabs [defined herein as megalopae and PS-juveniles with carapace widths (CWs) ≤20 mm] in the Florida Gulf is based on localized, short-term, or laboratory-based studies and on anecdotal observations (Menzel & Nichy 1958, Tabb & Manning 1961, Bender 1971, Wilber & Herrnkind 1986, Field 1989, Lindberg & Stanton 1989, Brown & Bert 1993, Munguia 2006.…”

Effects of Starvation and Feeding on Lipid Class and Fatty Acid Profile of Late Stage Mud Crab, Scylla serrata, larvae

“…The nutritional requirements typically change as larvae grow, but because of the complexity of larval development and difficulties in hatchery rearing, little is known about the dietary requirements of S. serrata larvae. In nature, the dietary needs are satisfied by a large range of natural pray; however, the study of these small and fragile animals is practically impossible (Nates and McKenny 2000). Analysis of the biochemical changes occurring during larval development has therefore been used as an alternative method for determining major nutritional requirements and key nutrients in many crustacean species (Ritar et al 2003), including S. serrata larvae (Holme 2008).…”