The influence of environmental variables in the reproductive performance of Macrobrachium amazonicum (Heller, 1862) (Caridea: Palaemonidae) females in a continental population

Abstract

Macrobrachium amazonicum is a commercially important freshwater prawn with a high degree of reproductive plasticity. The species is classified into two groups: coastal populations, with larger individuals exhibiting high fecundity and needing brackish water for larval development; and continental populations, with smaller specimens exhibiting low fecundities and completing metamorphosis in freshwater. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of environmental factors in the fecundity, egg size and volume, and reproductive output in females of M. amazonicum from a continental population during a two-year period. We also compared our results with those obtained for other continental and coastal populations. Reproductive parameters differed markedly between continental and coastal populations in most cases. The continental population studied here, however, exhibited reproductive characteristics similar to those of coastal populations. The present study found a correlation between the reproductive parameters and the environmental variables analyzed. This result corroborates the hypothesis that wide variation in reproductive parameters in the geographical distribution of M. amazonicum is related to the environmental characteristics in which populations are inserted. We suggest that further studies could investigate the potential of continental populations for aquaculture, which could significantly reduce production costs.

REPRODUCTIVE ASPECTS OF THE PRAWN <i>Macrobrachium amazonicum</i> IN A CONTINENTAL POPULATION LIVING DOWNSTREAM OF A HYDROELECTRIC DAM

“…This is likely facilitated by its wide morphological and ecological plasticity (Vergamini et al, 2011). The reproductive period of freshwater decapods is usually associated with rainfall and variation in temperature and photoperiod (Pinheiro and Hebling, 1998), and/or with the hydrological properties of each environment (Pantaleão et al, 2018).…”

“…The sampling effort was of one person who dragged the sieve at 180°, three times, around 09:00 h am. In addition, "covo" traps (similar to a "Matapi", but made of plastic material -see Pantaleão et al, 2018 for details of the trap) were baited with grinded corn and placed in the river margin for 6 hours (09:00 -15:00 h). The prawns were stored in glass containers, cooled, and preserved in 70% ethanol.…”

“…The populations of M. amazonicum reproduce continuously and breeding females might be found year-round (Odinetz Collart, 1991;Bialetzki et al, 1997;Sampaio et al, 2007), with a peak in the rainy period (Silva et al, 2005;Bentes et al, 2011). However, reproductive traits such as fecundity vary depending on temperature, rainfall, and hydrological properties (Pantaleão et al, 2018). Regarding the proportion of males and females, studies of Odinetz-Collart (1991); Sampaio et al (2007) and Silva et al (2017) reported female-biased sex ratios, where females represented 70% (Sampaio et al, 2007;Silva et al, 2017) to 85% of the population (Costa and Silva et al, 2017).…”

Has a river dam affected the life‐history traits of a freshwater prawn?

“…The two-way ANOVA results for length of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum of resources for the prawns. In this case, the availability of nutrients and other local factors may determine reproductive parameters (Pantaleão, Carvalho-Batista, Teodoro, & Costa, 2018).…”

Estudo bioquímico comparativo da (Na+ , K+)-ATPase branquial de Macrobrachium amazonicum (Heller, 1862) habitante de regiões continentais

“…Entre as espécies de decápodes de água doce do Brasil importantes ecológica e economicamente (Magalhães, 1999;Almeida et al, 2008;Cavalcante et al, 2012), o M. amazonicum é o de maior importância econômica no norte e nordeste, sendo amplamente pescado e consumido nestas regiões (Moraes-Riodades & Valenti, 2001Marques & Moraes-Valenti, 2012). A espécie apresenta um grande potencial para a aquicultura, pois apresenta características altamente favoráveis ao cultivo em cativeiros, pois trata-se de uma espécie nativa (Moraes-Valenti & Valenti, 2010) que apresenta crescimento rápido, resistência a doenças, alta taxa de sobrevivência, fácil manutenção (Marques & Moraes-Valenti, 2012), reprodução continua ao longo de todas as estações do ano (Sampaio et al, 2007;Pantaleão et al, 2018) e a possibilidade de produção de larvas em salinidades de apenas Introdução________________________________________________________________20 1 ‰S, permitindo a sua produção em regiões interioranas próximas das fazendas de engorda (Araujo & Valenti, 2010). Tais características têm intensificado os esforços para o uso desta espécie em cultivos artesanais em diferentes regiões do país.…”