• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.269-275
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• 1998

Spider crabs, Libinia emarginata, were eyestalk-ablated unilaterally and bilaterally to manipulate endogenous methyl farnesoate (MF) to increase during the embryogenesis. Endogenous MF were measured weekly over the embryogenesis of the crab, using HPLC with the aids of GC/MS and MS database (CAS 010485-70-8) for the identification of the hormone. Initial MF titers both in the hemolymph and embryos of intact control were at bottom levels and the hormone concentrations kept unchanged (p<0.05), reflecting physiological unnecessaries of the hormone in the embryogenesis. Eyestalk ablation significantly stimulated the crabs to increase endogenous MF in both tissues (p<0.0l). In the response of the embryos to the increased MF, no growth stimulations were observed, at least, in the first part of embryogenesis. The increased mortalities and immature sheddings of embryos resulted from the crabs under the influence of elevated MF in both tissues, instead, suggesting that the elevated MF against the crab's requirement blocked the normal developmental process of the crab embryos. These data can give crustacean endocrinologists some insights to understand the effects of the hormone on the crustacean reproduction studied previously in which JH analogs ambiguously affected the crustacean reproduction depending on the reproductive stages. The data also can give shrimp aquaculturists some implication of a possible generation of unfavorable shrimp seeds attributed to elevated egg MF originated from their eyestalk-ablated mother shrimp.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.257-264
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• 2009

Seventeen females of the mud crab Scylla serrata, from the State of Kosrae, Micronesia, were transported to the Fisheries Resources Research Institute, Gyeongsangnam-do, in oxygen-filled plastic bags. After acclimatization to a $30^{\circ}C$ holding temperature, nine females were selected for seed production trials. Spawning was hastened using eyestalk ablations; however, this may not be required in commercialscale mud crab seed production. Primary spawning produced an average of 2.4 million hatched larvae, whereas secondary spawning produced 0.4 million. About 10 days elapsed between spawning and hatching and 30 days between hatching and crablet. Mass mortalities up to 90% were observed between stages zoea 1 and zoea 2 in every trial. The highest survival rate from zoea 1 to crablet was estimated at 0.25%. Most commercial shrimp hatcheries in Korea are equipped with almost all necessary facilities and could be converted easily to mud crab hatcheries, able to run three to four times per year using hatchery technologies developed for blue crabs and Chinese mitten crabs.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.76-90
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• 1993

To clarify the relations between photoperiodism and x-organ of eyestalks to the control of gonadal maturation in a freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense, the present investigation was performed with following examinations: 1) the influence of water temperature and daylength on the control of gonadal maturation, 2) the effect of eyestalk ablation on the gonadal maturation, 3) the seasonal variation of histology of MEX-organ (medulla externa X-organ) in the eyestalk. In previtellogenesis period (December${\sim}$March) and vitellogenesis period (April${\sim}$May), gonadal maturation was considerablely influnced by water temperature. In these periods, GSI increased and gonads were matured with water temperature rising without regard to photoperiod conditions (12L/12D and 15L/9D). In spawning period (June${\sim}$August), however, gonadal maturation was influenced by photoperiod condition. While high value of GSI was kept at long photoperiod regime (15L/9D), GSI was decreased at short photoperiod regime (12L/12D). In resting period (September${\sim}$November), no rematuration was occurred at all the experimental regimes combinated with water temperatures ($16^{\circ}C,\;22^{\circ}C,\;28^{\circ}C$) and photoperiod (12L/12D, 15L/9D). Effect of X-organ which inhibite the gonadal maturation was stronger in resting period than that in previtellogenesis and ealy spawning periods by observations on the effectiveness of eyestalk ablation on the gonadal maturation. In MEX-organ of eyestalk, the number of neurosecretory cells of which size was over $20{\mu}m$ in diameter varied according to the reproductive cycle. The number of cells increased $77{\pm}12$ in resting period, and decreased $55{\pm}7$ in vitellogenesis period. Volume of Bellonci's organ, however, increased in vitellogenesis period in comparison with that in resting period.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 2014

Eyestalk ablation (ESA) is commonly used in aquaculture to stimulate ovarian maturation in crustaceans, and methyl farnesoate (MF) affects crustacean molting and reproduction. To investigate the physiological effects of ESA and MF treatments on the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, we compared the effects of single eyestalk removal and MF injections. The ESA group had the lowest survival rate (50%), and individuals in the $0.1{\mu}g$ and $1.0{\mu}g$ MF-treated groups had survival rates of 80 and 73.3%, respectively. Conversely, molting numbers were highest in the ESA group, and similar to those of the 1.0-${\mu}g$ MF group. To investigate shrimp growth, we measured body weight during the experimental period and found that individuals in the ESA and $1.0{\mu}g$ MF groups showed significant increases in body weight. Furthermore, to investigate the effects of ESA and MF treatments on gonadal maturation, the gonad somatic index (GSI) was calculated after the experiment. All treated groups (ESA and MF) had higher GSI values than the control group, but the ESA and $1.0{\mu}g$ MF groups were not significantly different. Using histological ovary analysis, we determined that all treated groups showed indications of the previtellogenic stage, unlike the control group (immature stage). These results suggest that the high-MF-concentration treatment produced effects similar to those of ESA with respect to molting number, growth, and ovarian maturation.