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Crabs
Kinds of Crabs Terms modified by Crabs Selected AbstractsSUPERCRITICAL CO2/ETHANOL EXTRACTION OF ASTAXANTHIN FROM BLUE CRAB (CALLINECTES SAPIDUS) SHELL WASTEJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2001LETICIA FÉLIX-VALENZUELA ABSTRACT Astaxanthin (AX) is the major naturally occurring carotenoid pigment in marine crustaceans and the flesh of salmonids. These organisms are unable to synthesize AX de novo and when farmed commercially, require it in their feed. The high cost of synthetic AX has promoted research into new natural sources of ihe pigment, such as crustacean wastes. In this work, AX from demineralized crab (Callinectes sapidusj shell waste was extracted with a mixture of supercritical C2 and ethanol as a cosolvent. The effect of total solids load, pressure and temperature was assessed by response surface methodology (RSM). Extracted AX was determined by HPLC. The experimental data were fined to a second order model whereby the conditions for maximum extraction yield were defined (, 34 MPa, 45C and solids load of 25 g). Pressure and solids load were the most important factors affecting AX extraction yields. [source] EFFECT OF PROCESSING ON BACTERIAL POPULATION OF CUTTLE FISH AND CRAB AND DETERMINATION OF BACTERIAL SPOILAGE AND RANCIDITY DEVELOPING ON FROZEN STORAGEJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION, Issue 1 2007THAILAMBAL ANANTHA SUBRAMANIAN ABSTRACT Processing techniques like cooking and freezing exhibited significant (P < 0.001) reduction in the bacterial load of cuttlefish, Sepia pharaonis, and marine crab, Portunus pelagicus. Raw cuttle fish had 2.4 × 107 cfu/g which on cooking reduced to 9.7 × 106 cfu/g. Freezing reduced the bacterial load further as cooked frozen product had only 9.9 × 104 cfu/g. Similarly, raw crab had 2.6 × 107 cfu/g which on cooking reduced to 6.5 × 106 cfu/g. A further reduction in bacterial load was seen after freezing as cooked frozen crab exhibited only 7.3 × 104 cfu/g. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were present in the limit of acceptability for fish and fish products. Salmonella typhimurium and Vibrio cholerae were absent even in raw stage. Biochemical analysis performed on stored frozen products of cuttle fish and crab exhibited a significant (P , 0.05) increase in bacterial spoilage and rancidity with increasing days of storage. Total volatile base nitrogen, trimethylamine, thiobarbituric acid and free fatty acid contents in frozen products of cuttle fish and crab increased significantly with 120 days of frozen storage. [source] Uncle Sam Versus the Peekytoe Crab: Post Mortem on a Rural ProtestCULTURE, AGRICULTURE, FOOD & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 1 2003Professor Susan H. Lees First page of article [source] Viruses of pome fruit trees in SyriaEPPO BULLETIN, Issue 1 2006F. Ismaeil A survey was conducted to evaluate the sanitary status of pome fruit trees in Syria during spring 2003 and 2004 in 6 governorates: Damascus, Al-Qunaitara and Al-Sweida (Southern region), Homs and Hama (Central region) and Latakia (Costal Western region), as the main production areas of pome fruits. Leaf samples from 1077 apples, 54 pears and 14 quince were collected and tested for the presence of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) and Apple mosaic virus (ApMV) in 70 commercial orchards and 3 varietal collections by ELISA. Results showed that the virus infection rates were 34 and 2% in apple and pear, respectively. Quince trees were found to be virus tested free. ACLSV was prevailing on apple with 34%, whereas ASGV and ApMV were found in 2 and 0.2% of tested trees, respectively. Pear trees were infected only with ACLSV (2%). 21 apples and 15 pears representative budwood samples were indexed by grafting on the following indicators: (i) Malus pumila cvs. Virginia Crab and Radiant for apple and (ii) M. pumila cv. V. Crab and Pyrus communis cv. Nouveau Poiteau for pear. The virus infection rates by woody indexing were much higher than ELISA, Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) and ASGV were found in 86 and 82% of apple tested samples, whereas they were 80 and 60% of pear tested samples, respectively. Additional RT-PCR testing carried out for a limited number of samples confirmed the high incidence of ACLSV ASPV, ASGV and the presence of ApMV. This is the first report on pome fruit viruses in Syria, indicating an unsatisfactory sanitary status of the industry. As a consequence, a certification program is recommended for producing locally healthy propagating material. [source] Chemical and nutritional quality of silage made from raw or cooked lizard fish (Saurida undosquamis) and blue crab (Portunus pelagicus)JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 15 2009Diep TN Mach Abstract Twelve silages were prepared from uncooked or cooked lizard fish (Saurida undosquamis) and blue crab (Portunus pelagicus) and stored at ambient temperature (30 ± 2 °C) for 60 days. The antioxidative effect of adding ethoxyquin was also investigated. Generally, the nutritional quality of all the silages was stable for up to 60 days of storage and the composition of raw materials was reflected in the composition of the silages. Crab had a lower level of crude protein than fish (85 versus 162 mg kg,1), but a higher level of ash (96 versus 36 g kg,1); moreover, there were significant differences in nutritional composition between uncooked and cooked materials. High level of ash in crab required addition of high levels of formic acid in crab-related silages. At the end of the experiment cooked silages showed a tendency for spoilage; in particular, maggots were observed in cooked crab silages on the last few days of the experiment. Comparison of treatments with or without ethoxyquin showed that only rancidity of fish silage groups was higher without addition of ethoxyquin. Uncooked materials are more suitable for prolonged storage than cooked materials, and it is probably not necessary to add antioxidants to silages made from material with low lipid content. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Cultural Models and Cultural Consensus of Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab and Oyster FisheriesANNALS OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL PRACTICE, Issue 1 2007Michael Paolisso This article describes ongoing anthropological study of Chesapeake Bay fisheries. In particular, this article focuses on the blue crab and oyster fisheries. Two approaches to cultural analysis,cultural models and cultural consensus#8212;are described in terms of their application to these fisheries. The discussion summarizes each approach and provides brief examples of results each approach can produce. The article concludes with a few thoughts on the utility of this combined approach to cultural analysis for research on and management of Chesapeake Bay fisheries. [source] Multiple stressor effects of methoprene, permethrin, and salinity on limb regeneration and molting in the mud fiddler crab (UCA pugnax)ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2009Todd A. Stueckle Abstract Exposure to multiple stressors from natural and anthropogenic sources poses risk to sensitive crustacean growth and developmental processes. Applications of synthetic pyrethroids and insect growth regulators near shallow coastal waters may result in harmful mixture effects depending on the salinity regime. The potential for nonadditive effects of a permethrin (0.01,2 ,g/L), methoprene (0.03,10 ,g/L), and salinity (10,40 ppt) exposure on male and female Uca pugnax limb regeneration and molting processes was evaluated by employing a central composite rotatable design with multifactorial regression. Crabs underwent single-limb autotomy followed by a molting challenge under 1 of 16 different mixture treatments. During the exposure (21,66 d), individual limb growth, major molt stage duration, abnormal limb regeneration, and respiration were monitored. At 6 d postmolt, changes in body mass, carapace width, and body condition factor were evaluated. Dorsal carapace tissue was collected, and protein and chitin were extracted to determine the composition of newly synthesized exoskeleton. The present results suggest chronic, low-dose exposures to multiple pesticide stressors cause less-than-additive effects on U. pugnax growth processes. Under increasing concentrations of methoprene and permethrin, males had more protein in their exoskeletons and less gain in body mass, carapace width, and body condition compared to females. Females exhibited less gain in carapace width than controls in response to methoprene and permethrin. Females also displayed elevated respiration rates at all stages of molt, suggesting a high metabolic rate. Divergent growth and fitness between the sexes over the long term could influence crustacean population resilience. [source] Aseasonality in the abundance and life history of an ecologically dominant freshwater crab in the Rift Valley, KenyaFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007MICHAEL DOBSON Summary 1. Freshwater crabs appear to show at least two alternative life history patterns, which differ in the timing of seasonal reproduction. Reproduction occurs during low flow among temperate lotic species, but during high water levels among wetland species. Crab biomass is often very high and both strategies would lead to spatial and temporal pulses in density and biomass. The life history and reproductive strategy adopted by tropical lotic species is poorly known, however, despite their importance in community and ecosystem dynamics. 2. In this study, we determined annual patterns of life history, density and biomass of a lotic freshwater crab in a small headwater stream in the East African highlands where it maintains high biomass. This crab is an as yet undescribed species of Potamonautes, here referred to as the Chinga crab. 3. Crabs were sampled non-destructively for 15 months using baited traps and benthic sampling with a Surber sampler. At the end of the study, an intensive hand search was carried out. Each method was biased towards different size classes of crabs and the efficiency of both long-term methods varied according to water levels in the stream. The intensive search was more effective than benthic sampling, but failed to record the large individuals caught by baited traps. 4. Population density and biomass remained constantly high throughout the study period. Reproduction, as evidenced by the presence of ovigerous females and small free-living juveniles, also showed no seasonality. As a consequence, the population size structure (size-frequency distribution) of crabs remained constant throughout the year. 5. The Chinga crab illustrates a third life history pattern, with no clear breeding season, and this may be common among tropical species. This is probably a consequence of the non-seasonal nature of its habitat: temperature varied little throughout the year and rainfall fluctuations were relatively small. This strategy allows the species to maintain high biomass without seasonal pulses and, perhaps, to dominate community and ecosystem processes. [source] Antisymmetry in male fiddler crabs and the decision to feed or breedFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2002A. E. Pratt Summary 1,In male Sand Fiddler Crabs, Uca pugilator, a major cheliped (with claw), used in intersexual displays and intrasexual contests, develops opposite a minor cheliped used for feeding. Cheliped size demonstrates antisymmetry because greater development is equally likely on the right or left side. 2,The side with the major cheliped (major side) also has longer walking legs which may facilitate use of the claw. In contrast, eye stalk asymmetry is equally due to antisymmetry and fluctuating asymmetry. Fluctuating asymmetry is a subtle, non-adaptive departure from the population-level trajectory relating growth on major and minor sides. 3,In a South Carolina (USA) marsh, cheliped and leg antisymmetries are greater and eye stalk asymmetry is less among males able to defer feeding in favour of breeding. However, the composition of up-slope breeding and down-slope feeding subpopulations changes across the lunar cycle. 4,The number of mates sequestered in breeding burrows is positively correlated with cheliped and leg antisymmetry and negatively correlated with eye stalk asymmetry. Male fitness is a function of the product of time spent breeding and the number of mates per unit time while breeding. Both fitness components are predicted by relative cheliped antisymmetry and eye stalk fluctuating asymmetry, which are themselves significantly negatively correlated. [source] Molt and growth of an estuarine crab, Chasmagnathus granulatus (Brachyura: Varunidae), in Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon, ArgentinaJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 5 2004T. A. Luppi Summary Juvenile and adult growth of Chasmagnathus granulatus was studied in the laboratory in terms of molt increment in size (MI) and the intermolt period (IP), comparing data obtained from short-term (STE) and long-term (LTE) laboratory experiments. Crabs in a pre-molt condition were collected for STE, including the entire size range of the species. Larger crabs remained in the laboratory no more than 14 days; the average time to molt was 5.8 ± 3.1 days. We registered the molt of 94 females, 64 males and 34 undifferentiated juveniles and calculated their MI. Moreover, 24 males and four females were reared in the laboratory over 3 years (LTE). Hiatt diagrams did not show sex-specific differences between juveniles of both sexes, but revealed differences between juveniles and adults in each sex as well as between adults of both sexes. The MI decreased gradually with size; this pattern was described with a quadratic model. The IP increased exponentially with size. The presence of regenerating limbs diminished the MI. The abdomen of females reached its final shape and maximum relative width at functional maturity. Growth curves for both sexes were calculated using the von Bertalanffy model, but this model yielded an underestimation of the actual maximum size of this crab. [source] Osmoregulation in Six Sympatric Fiddler Crabs (genus Uca) from the Northwestern Gulf of MexicoMARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Carl L. Thurman Abstract. As problems in taxonomy and systematic relationships among the Uca species are resolved, a definition of how each fiddler crab species partitions and utilizes habitat resources is needed. To this end, the osmoregulatory capabilities were studied in six species of fiddler crabs from the western Gulf of Mexico. Specimens were placed in 50,ml of artificial seawater ranging in osmolality from 50 to 3450,mOsm (2 to 109,,) for five days. Survivorship was recorded for each species. Uca rapax, U. panacea and U. subcylindrica are hardy from 200 to 3200,mOsm (6 to 101,,). Uca spinicarpa and U. minax survive only below 1400,mOsm (44,,). U. longisignalis is intermediate, with limited survival above 2500,mOsm (79,,). Hemolymph osmolality was determined for crabs surviving the osmotic regimen. Uca panacea, U. subcylindrica and U. rapax are equivalent in their regulation between 50 and 3200,mOsm (2,,,101,,). Uca longisignalis lost its ability to control hemolymph osmolality above 2200,mOsm (69,,). On the other hand, U. spinicarpa and U. minax become less effective hyporegulators in media above 1200 (38,,) and 1500,mOsm (47,,), respectively. Only U. longisignalis appears to exhibit clear differences in osmoregulatory capacity between populations. Population data for U. panacea and laboratory experiments with U. subcylindrica also support the notion of capacitative acclimation in Uca. These physiological capabilities correlate well with the known habitat characteristics for each fiddler crab species in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. [source] Abundance, Tidal Movement, Population Structure and Burrowing Rate of Emerita analoga (Anomura, Hippidae) at a Dissipative and a Reflective Sandy Beach in South Central ChileMARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2000Eduardo Jaramillo Abstract. To evaluate the effects of beach morphodynamics upon the abundance, tidal movement, population structure and burrowing rate of the crab Emerita analoga (Stimpson) (Anomura, Hippidae) we sampled two beaches in south central Chile (ca. 42° S), Mar Brava and Ahui with dissipative and reflective characteristics, respectively. The swash zone at the dissipative beach was 5,,,6 times wider than that of the reflective beach. A at the dissipative beach, upwash speeds were higher and the number of effluent line crossings were lower by more than an order of magnitude. To examine the tidal movement of E. analoga, we collected crabs from 5 to 6 tidal levels of each beach every 2 h across 12 h of the tidal cycle. The intertidal distribution of crabs differed between beaches; i. e., at the dissipative beach they were primarily located at the swash zone, while at the reflective beach they were mostly located at the low tide level and shallow subtidal. The change in position of crabs was pronounced across the tidal cycle at the dissipative beach (Mar Brava), with most of the animals remaining in the active swash zone. Body size data were used to construct size frequency distributions for each population. Crabs from the dissipative beach reached larger sizes than those at the reflective beach. Sediments were coarser at the latter versus the former beach. Crabs burrowed at similar rates in the sand from both beaches, a result which supports the idea that E. analoga is a "sediment generalist" capable of burrowing successfully in a wide range of sediment types. This characteristic is likely a key to the broad success of this species on the full range of beach morphodynamic types along the coasts of South and North America. [source] Comparisons of growth and economic performance among monosex and mixed-sex culture of red mud crab (Scylla olivacea Herbst, 1796) in bamboo pens in the tidal flats of mangrove forests, BangladeshAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 4 2009Mst. Muslima Khatun Abstract An experiment was conducted in a randomized block design to compare growth and economic performance between monosex and mixed-sex culture of red mud crab (Scylla olivacea Herbst, 1796) fed with trash fish at 5,10% body weight per day in the mangrove tidal flat at Burigoaliny Union of Satkhira District, Bangladesh. The experiment had three treatments in triplicate each: (a) all-male culture, (b) all-female culture and (c) mixed-sex culture. Crabs of 80,120 g in size were stocked at a density of 0.5 crab m,2 and cultured for 100 days. Specific growth rates (SGRs) by weight and internal carapace width (ICW) in the all-male culture were significantly higher than those in the all-female culture (P<0.05), while SGRs in the mixed-sex culture showed no significant differences from those in the all-male and all-female culture (P>0.05). No significant differences in final mean body weight, ICW, daily weight gain, survival rate, gross and net yields were found among all the treatments (P>0.05). The area of high water level with mangroves gave significantly better results in terms of feed conversion ratio, survival rate, gross and net yields than the area of low water level (P>0.05). The experiment suggests that the all-female culture in the area of high water level with mangroves could be suitable in developing commercial pen culture of red mud crabs in Bangladesh. [source] Reproductive performance, lipids and fatty acids of mud crab Scylla serrata (Forsskĺl) fed dietary lipid levelsAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 14 2007Veronica R Alava Abstract Natural food (NF, control), artificial diets (AD) containing total lipid levels of 10%, 12% and 14% (AD10, AD12 and AD14) and their combinations (AD10+NF, AD12+NF and AD14+NF) were fed for 112 days to pond-sourced eyestalk-ablated mud crab Scylla serrata (625±6.4 g) in tanks in order to determine their effects on reproduction and lipid profiles in broodstock tissues and zoeae. Crabs fed NF had the highest number of spawning followed by crabs fed AD10+NF and AD14+NF. Higher offspring production (number of zoeae) was obtained from crabs fed NF and AD+NF than from AD. As dietary total lipid levels increased, total lipid of broodstock ovaries, hepatopancreas, muscle and zoeae correspondingly increased in which AD+NF promoted higher levels than AD. Increased dietary total lipid levels enhanced lipid classes such as triacylglycerols and phosphatidyl choline levels in zoeae, all higher in crabs fed AD+NF than in AD. The major fatty acids in zoeae, particularly 16:0, 18:0, 18:1n-9 and 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3, were higher in crabs fed AD+NF than in AD, the contents corresponding to broodstock dietary total lipid levels. A 10% total lipid in AD in combination with NF was sufficient to provide the essential lipids in crabs in the improvement of larval production and quality. [source] Land crabs as key drivers in tropical coastal forest recruitmentBIOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Issue 2 2009Erin Stewart Lindquist ABSTRACT Plant populations are regulated by a diverse assortment of abiotic and biotic factors that influence seed dispersal and viability, and seedling establishment and growth at the microsite. Rarely does one animal guild exert as significant an influence on different plant assemblages as land crabs. We review three tropical coastal ecosystems,mangroves, island maritime forests, and mainland coastal terrestrial forests,where land crabs directly influence forest composition by limiting tree establishment and recruitment. Land crabs differentially prey on seeds, propagules and seedlings along nutrient, chemical and physical environmental gradients. In all of these ecosystems, but especially mangroves, abiotic gradients are well studied, strong and influence plant species distributions. However, we suggest that crab predation has primacy over many of these environmental factors by acting as the first limiting factor of tropical tree recruitment to drive the potential structural and compositional organisation of coastal forests. We show that the influence of crabs varies relative to tidal gradient, shoreline distance, canopy position, time, season, tree species and fruiting periodicity. Crabs also facilitate forest growth and development through such activities as excavation of burrows, creation of soil mounds, aeration of soils, removal of leaf litter into burrows and creation of carbon-rich soil microhabitats. For all three systems, land crabs influence the distribution, density and size-class structure of tree populations. Indeed, crabs are among the major drivers of tree recruitment in tropical coastal forest ecosystems, and their conservation should be included in management plans of these forests. [source] Size at the onset of sexual maturity in the anomuran crab, Aegla uruguayana (Aeglidae)ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 4 2006Verónica E. Viau Abstract The size at maturity was studied in the crab Aegla uruguayana from the Areco River (31°14, S, 59°28, W), Argentina. Size at sexual maturity was determined according to three criteria: morphometric (change in the relative growth of reproductive characters), histological (first maturation of gonads) and functional (capability to mate and carry eggs). Regarding females, morphometric maturity occurred at a carapace length (CL) of 11.50 mm, considering abdomen width as a reproductive character. Gonad maturity of females could be observed at a minimum size ranging from 15 to 17 mm CL. The smallest ovigerous female observed in the field was 15.60 mm CL, although a relevant population incidence of ovigerous females (86.6%) has just been observed at values higher than 17 mm CL. As for males, the relative growth of the left chela length changed at a value of 15.40 mm CL, while morphological changes in sexual tube occurred between CL of 14 and 16 mm. Testicular maturation occurred at a CL ranging from 17 to 19 mm. The smallest size of males having spermatozoids in their vasa deferentia was 18.70 mm CL. The results obtained indicated that, in both sexes, functional maturity occurred after morphometric maturity and at a size similar to that of gonad maturity. Comparing sexes, females acquired sexual maturity (morphometric, gonad and functional maturity) at sizes statistically smaller than those of males. [source] Foraging behavior of an estuarine predator, the blue crab Callinectes sapidus in a patchy environmentECOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2000Mary E. Clark To define general principles of predator-prey dynamics in an estuarine subtidal environment, we manipulated predator density (the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus) and prey (the clam, Macoma balthica) patch distribution in large field enclosures in the Rhode River subestuary of the central Chesapeake Bay. The primary objectives were to determine whether predators forage in a way that maximizes prey consumption and to assess how their foraging success is affected by density of conspecifics. We developed a novel ultrasonic telemetry system to observe behavior of individual predators with unprecedented detail. Behavior of predators was more indicative of optimal than of opportunistic foraging. Predators appeared responsive to the overall quality of prey in their habitat. Rather than remaining on a prey patch until depletion, predators appeared to vary their patch use with quality of the surrounding environment. When multiple (two) prey patches were available, residence time of predators on a prey patch was shorter than when only a single prey patch was available. Predators seemed to move among the prey patches fairly regularly, dividing their foraging time between the patches and consuming prey from each of them at a similar rate. That predators more than doubled their consumption of prey when we doubled the number of prey (by adding the second patch) is consistent with optimizing behaviors - rather than with an opportunistic increase in prey consumption brought about simply by the addition of more prey. Predators at high density, however, appeared to interfere with each other's foraging success, reflected by their lower rates of prey consumption. Blue crabs appear to forage more successfully (and their prey to experience higher mortality) in prey patches located within 15,20 meters of neighboring patch, than in isolated patches. Our results are likely to apply, at least qualitatively, to other crustacean-bivalve interactions, including those of commercial interest; their quantitative applicability will depend on the mobility of other predators and the scale of patchiness they perceive. [source] Field evidence of trait-mediated indirect interactions in a rocky intertidal food webECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 2 2002Geoffrey C. Trussell Studies on the implications of food web interactions to community structure have often focused on density-mediated interactions between predators and their prey. This approach emphasizes the importance of predator regulation of prey density via consumption (i.e. lethal effects), which, in turn, leads to cascading effects on the prey's resources. A more recent and contrasting view emphasizes the importance of non-lethal predator effects on prey traits (e.g. behaviour, morphology), or trait-mediated interactions. On rocky intertidal shores in New England, green crab (Carcinus maenas) predation is thought to be important to patterns of algal abundance and diversity by regulating the density of herbivorous snails (Littorina littorea). We found, however, that risk cues from green crabs can dramatically suppress snail grazing, with large effects on fucoid algal communities. Our results suggest that predator-induced changes in prey behaviour may be an important and under-appreciated component of food web interactions and community dynamics on rocky intertidal shores. [source] Effects of 4-nonylphenol on the endocrine system of the shore crab, Carcinus maenasENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Christina M. Lye Abstract There is a considerable body of evidence to suggest that many anthropogenic chemicals, most notably xeno-estrogens, are able to disrupt the endocrine system of vertebrates. There have been few comparable studies on the effects of exposure to these chemicals that may serve as biomarkers of endocrine disruption in aquatic invertebrate species. In addition, the evidence available is complex, conflicting, and far from conclusive. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of the xeno-estrogen 4-nonylphenol (4-NP, nominal concentrations 10,100 ,g L,1) on the regulation and functioning of the endocrine system of the shore crab Carcinus maenas. It also set out to establish whether 4-NP are causing the effects (i.e., changes of exoskeletons including secondary sexual characteristics, pheromonally mediated behavior and ecdysone levels, and the presence of vt in the male hepatopancreas) found recently in wild shore crabs (Lye et al.,2005). The study utilizes morphological (e.g., gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indices) and hormonal (ecdysteroid moulting hormone levels and the induction of female specific proteins, vitellins) biomarkers using radioimmunoassay and an indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay applied to the soluble protein fraction of adult male hepatopancreatic homogenates. Exposure of C. maenas to an effective concentration as low as 1.5 ,g L,1 4-NP resulted in a reduced testis weight, increased liver weight, and altered levels of ecdysone equivalents compared to controls. Induction of vitellin-like proteins was absent in all samples tested. The ecological implications and the possible mechanisms for the action of 4-NP on the response of the shore crab to xeno-estrogen exposure are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2008. [source] Multiple stressor effects of methoprene, permethrin, and salinity on limb regeneration and molting in the mud fiddler crab (UCA pugnax)ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2009Todd A. Stueckle Abstract Exposure to multiple stressors from natural and anthropogenic sources poses risk to sensitive crustacean growth and developmental processes. Applications of synthetic pyrethroids and insect growth regulators near shallow coastal waters may result in harmful mixture effects depending on the salinity regime. The potential for nonadditive effects of a permethrin (0.01,2 ,g/L), methoprene (0.03,10 ,g/L), and salinity (10,40 ppt) exposure on male and female Uca pugnax limb regeneration and molting processes was evaluated by employing a central composite rotatable design with multifactorial regression. Crabs underwent single-limb autotomy followed by a molting challenge under 1 of 16 different mixture treatments. During the exposure (21,66 d), individual limb growth, major molt stage duration, abnormal limb regeneration, and respiration were monitored. At 6 d postmolt, changes in body mass, carapace width, and body condition factor were evaluated. Dorsal carapace tissue was collected, and protein and chitin were extracted to determine the composition of newly synthesized exoskeleton. The present results suggest chronic, low-dose exposures to multiple pesticide stressors cause less-than-additive effects on U. pugnax growth processes. Under increasing concentrations of methoprene and permethrin, males had more protein in their exoskeletons and less gain in body mass, carapace width, and body condition compared to females. Females exhibited less gain in carapace width than controls in response to methoprene and permethrin. Females also displayed elevated respiration rates at all stages of molt, suggesting a high metabolic rate. Divergent growth and fitness between the sexes over the long term could influence crustacean population resilience. [source] Effects of Anabaena spiroides (cyanobacteria) aqueous extracts on the acetylcholinesterase activity of aquatic speciesENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 6 2001José María Monserrat Abstract The effects of aqueous extracts from a cyanobacteria species, Anabaena spiroides, on fish (Odontesthes argentinensis), crab (Callinectes sapidus), and purified eel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were studied. In vitro concentrations of A. spiroides aqueous extract that inhibited 50% of enzyme activity (IC50) were 23.0, 17.2, and 45.0 mg/L of lyophilized cyanobacteria for eel, fish, and crab AChE, respectively. Eel AChE inhibition follows pseudo-first-order kinetics, the same expected for organophosphorus pesticides. Inhibition of purified eel AChE using mixtures of bioxidized malathion and aqueous extract of A. spiroides showed a competitive feature (p < 0.05), suggesting that the toxin(s) could be structurally similar to an organophosphorus pesticide and that toxins present in the aqueous extract inhibit the active site of the enzyme. The inhibition recovery assays using 2-PAM (0.3 mM) showed that (1) bioxidized malathion inhibited 27.0 ± 1.1% of crab and 36.5 ± 0.1% of eel AChE activities; (2) with bioxidized malathion + 2-PAM the registered inhibition was 13.2 ± 2.1% and 3.7 ± 0.5% in crab and eel AChE, respectively; (3) the aqueous extract from A. spiroides inhibited 17.4 ± 2.2% and 59.9 ± 0.5% of crab and eel AChE activity, respectively; and (4) aqueous extract + 2-PAM inhibited 22.3 ± 2.6 and 61.5 ± 0.2% of crab and eel AChEs. The absence of enzyme activity recovery after 2-PAM exposure could imply that the enzyme aging process was extremely quick. [source] Concentration dependency of biota-sediment accumulation factors for chlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins and dibenzofurans in dungeness crab (Cancer magister) at marine pulp mill sites in British Columbia, CanadaENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2000Walter J. Cretney Abstract Biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) for some chlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners (PCDD/Fs) in Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) hepatopancreas and associated sediments are concentration independent as required by equilibrium partition models. In particular 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (2, 3, 7, 8-TCDD), 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, the 2, 3, 7, 8-substituted pentachlorodibenzofurans, and the non-2, 3, 7, 8-hexachlorodibenzofurans (HxCDFs) seem to fall into this group. The BSAFs for other isomers exhibit significant, nonlinear variations with sediment or crab PCDD/F concentrations. For some of these other isomers (e.g., the non-2, 3, 7, 8 TCDDs and possibility the 2, 3, 7, 8-substituted HxCDFs), association of a variable fraction of the total present with soot carbon may provide a satisfactory explanation for the concentration behavior. For the HxCDDs we propose that the nonlinear concentration behavior may arise from the thermodynamic properties of fluids confined in hydrophobic voids within particulate and colloidal material produced by the pulp mills. The nonlinear relationship between BSAFs and PCDD/F concentrations greatly complicates prediction of the potential for dioxin and furan bioaccumulation in crabs and the formulation of sediment quality criteria. We provide a nonlinear equation relating toxic equivalency and sediment concentrations. [source] Site-specific marine water-quality criterion for cyanideENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 9 2000Kevin V. Brix Abstract A site-specific marine water,quality criterion for cyanide was developed for Puget Sound, Washington, USA. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) national cyanide water-quality criterion is driven by toxicity data for the eastern rock crab, Cancer irroratus, a species not resident to the U.S. western coast (West Coast). The reported LC50 for C. irroratus is six times lower than any other marine species tested. Cyanide acute toxicity tests were conducted using first stage zoeae of all four species of Cancer spp. resident to Puget Sound to develop a site-specific criterion for this water body. Testing with Puget Sound Cancer spp. reveals sensitivities 24 times less, on average, than C. irroratus. Recalculation of the Puget Sound water-quality criterion for cyanide, by substituting the new Cancer spp. data for the C. irroratus data, results in water-quality criterion protecting marine life against acute and chronic toxicity of 9.4 and 2.9 ,g/L cyanide, compared to the U.S. EPA national value of 1.0 ,g/L for both acute and chronic toxicity. [source] Memory of Social Partners in Hermit Crab DominanceETHOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Francesca Gherardi We investigated the possibility that invertebrates recognize conspecific individuals by studying dominance relationships in the long-clawed hermit crab, Pagurus longicarpus. We conducted three sets of laboratory experiments to define the time limits for acquiring and maintaining memory of an individual opponent. The results reveal two characteristics that make individual recognition in this species different from standard associative learning tasks. Firstly, crabs do not require training over many repeated trials; rather, they show evidence of recognition after a single 30-min exposure to a stimulus animal. Secondly, memory lasts for up to 4 d of isolation without reinforcement. A third interesting feature of individual recognition in this species is that familiar opponents are recognized even before the formation of a stable hierarchical rank. That is, recognition seems to be relatively independent of repeated wins (rewards) or losses (punishments) in a dominance hierarchy. The experimental protocol allowed us to show that this species is able to classify conspecifics into two ,heterogeneous subgroups', i.e. familiar vs. unfamiliar individuals, but not to discriminate one individual of a group from every other conspecific from ,a unique set of cues defining that individual'. In other words, we demonstrated a ,binary', and not a ,true', individual recognition. However, 1 d of interactions with different crabs did not erase the memory of a former rival, suggesting that P. longicarpus uses a system of social partner discrimination more refined than previously shown. [source] A female-specific pentraxin, CrOctin, bridges pattern recognition receptors to bacterial phosphoethanolamineEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 12 2007Yue Li Abstract Pathogen recognition and binding are crucial functions of innate immunity. It has been observed that the short pentraxin superfamily including C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid,P component are pathogen pattern recognition receptors (PRR) in the plasma. We isolated and characterized a novel and distinctive pentraxin from the plasma of horseshoe crab, Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, henceforth named CrOctin, which binds to bacteria via phosphoethanolamine (PE), a chemical component present on lipid,A and core polysaccharide moieties of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Infection enhances the formation of the PRR interactome constituting CrOctin, CRP and galactose-binding protein. In particular, infection increases the affinity of CRP to CrOctin by 1000-fold. Furthermore, we observed that by binding to PE, CrOctin acts as a linker that bridges the PRR interactome to the inner core of LPS. On the other hand, under normal physiological conditions, binding of CrOctin to PE appears to obscure other PRR from interacting directly with PE. Interestingly, the cluster of "CrOctin-interactive PRR" is sex specific. We report, for the first time, the change in PRR protein profiles with a distinctive gender difference during Pseudomonas infection. [source] Adult neurogenesis in the central olfactory pathway in the absence of receptor neuron turnover in Libinia emarginataEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 10 2005Jeremy M. Sullivan Abstract Life-long neurogenesis is a characteristic feature of the olfactory pathways of a phylogenetically diverse array of animals. In both vertebrates and invertebrates, the life-long addition of olfactory interneurons in the brain occurs in parallel with the continuous proliferation of olfactory receptor neurons in the olfactory organ. It has been proposed that these two processes are related functionally, with new olfactory interneurons being added to accommodate the new olfactory receptor neurons added in the periphery. While this has not been tested directly because the two processes are not readily separable, this question can be addressed in the olfactory pathway of the crab, Libinia emarginata. Unlike most decapod crustaceans, which moult and grow throughout life, L. emarginata has a terminal, maturational moult after which animals become anecdysic (stop moulting). Because the addition of new receptor neurons in crustaceans is associated with moulting, a comparison of neurogenesis in immature and mature L. emarginata provides an opportunity to examine the interdependence of central and peripheral neurogenesis in the olfactory pathway. This study demonstrates that the continuous addition of olfactory receptor neurons in L. emarginata ceases at the terminal moult but that proliferation and differentiation of olfactory interneurons in the brain continues in mature animals. Contrary to the general assumption, therefore, continuous neurogenesis in the central olfactory pathway of this species does not occur as part of a process involving the coregulation of central and peripheral neurogenesis. These findings suggest that peripheral neurogenesis is not a requirement for continuous neurogenesis in the central olfactory pathway. [source] Biophysical characterization of the interaction of Limulus polyphemus endotoxin neutralizing protein with lipopolysaccharideFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 10 2004Jörg Andrä Endotoxin-neutralizing protein (ENP) of the horseshoe crab is one of the most potent neutralizers of endotoxins [bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)]. Here, we report on the interaction of LPS with recombinant ENP using a variety of physical and biological techniques. In biological assays (Limulus amebocyte lysate and tumour necrosis factor-, induction in human mononuclear cells), ENP causes a strong reduction of the immunostimulatory ability of LPS in a dose-dependent manner. Concomitantly, the accessible negative surface charges of LPS and lipid A (zeta potential) are neutralized and even converted into positive values. The gel to liquid crystalline phase transitions of LPS and lipid A shift to higher temperatures indicative of a rigidification of the acyl chains, however, the only slight enhancement of the transition enthalpy indicates that the hydrophobic moiety is not strongly disturbed. The aggregate structure of lipid A is converted from a cubic into a multilamellar phase upon ENP binding, whereas the secondary structure of ENP does not change due to the interaction with LPS. ENP contains a hydrophobic binding site to which the dye 1-anilino-8-sulfonic acid binds at a Kd of 19 µm, which is displaced by LPS. Because lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) is not able to bind to LPS when ENP and LPS are preincubated, tight binding of ENP to LPS can be deduced with a Kd in the low nonomolar range. Importantly, ENP is able to incorporate by itself into target phospholipid liposomes, and is also able to mediate the intercalation of LPS into the liposomes thus acting as a transport protein in a manner similar to LBP. Thus, LPS,ENP complexes might enter target membranes of immunocompetent cells, but are not able to activate due to the ability of ENP to change LPS aggregates from an active into an inactive form. [source] Discards from the commercial gillnet fishery for dusky flathead, Platycephalus fuscus, in New South Wales, Australia: spatial variability and initial effects of change in minimum legal length of target speciesFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2004C. A. Gray Abstract A scientific observer programme was used to quantify the composition and magnitude of discards in the gillnet fishery for dusky flathead, Platycephalus fuscus (Cuvier), in three barrier estuaries in New South Wales, Australia, during the 2001 fishing season. Regulations only permit the retention of legal-sized dusky flathead and legal-sized blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus L., and mud crab, Scylla serrata (Forskĺl); all other organisms were discarded. Sampling was stratified into two time periods; before and after 1 July 2001 which coincided with the increase in the minimum legal length (MLL) of dusky flathead from 33 to 36 cm total length (TL). Eighty one catches were sampled, yielding 38 finfish species and two portunid crab species. Legal-sized dusky flathead were the most abundant organism captured, accounting for 23,47% by number and 34,54% by weight of the mean observed catch depending on the estuary and survey period, with a mean catch of 25,59 flathead weighing 13,25 kg per fishing-night. Species composition and relative abundance of catches differed among estuaries, but not between sampling periods. Predominant bycatch species included legal and undersize blue swimmer crab, sea mullet, Mugil cephalus L., luderick, Girella tricuspidata (Quoy & Gaimard), bream, Acanthopagrus australis (Günther) and yellowfin leatherjacket, Meuschenia trachylepis (Günther). These five species accounted for 82% of total bycatch by number and 71% by weight, pooled across the three estuaries. More crabs were retained than discarded, with retained legal-size crabs (byproduct) accounting for 16% of total bycatch by number and 13% by weight, with an average of 5,22 crabs weighing 1,6 kg being caught per fishing-night, depending on the estuary. Overall, 7% of dusky flathead captured (number) were below the MLL of 36 cm and discarded, suggesting the nets as currently configured may be relatively selective in catching legal-size flathead. However, 41% of dusky flathead were <40 cm TL, indicating that if the MLL for this species is increased to this length as proposed, new nets must be introduced into the fishery. The findings are discussed in terms of making the flathead fishery more sustainable, including alternative management strategies for the fishery. [source] The importance of episodic weather events to the ecosystem of the Bering Sea shelfFISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2005NICHOLAS A. BOND Abstract Climate variability on decadal time scales is generally recognized to influence high-latitude marine populations. Our recent work in studying air,sea interactions in the Bering Sea suggests that interannual to decadal climate variability is important through its modulation of the frequencies and magnitudes of weather events on intraseasonal time scales. We hypothesize that it is these weather events that directly impact the marine ecosystem of the Bering Sea shelf. The linkages between the event-scale weather and the ecosystem are illustrated with three examples: walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Tanner crabs (Chionoecetes bairdi), and coccolithophorid phytoplankton (Emiliania huxleyi). We hypothesize that the strong recruitment of walleye pollock that occurred in 1978, 1982, and 1996 can be attributed in part due to the seasonably strong storms that occurred in the early summer of those years. These storms caused greater than normal mixing of nutrients into the euphotic zone which presumably led to sustained primary productivity after the spring bloom and, possibly, enhanced prey concentrations for pollock larvae and their competitors. Recruitment of Tanner crab was particularly strong for the 1981 and 1984 year-classes. These years had periods of prominent east wind anomalies along the Alaska Peninsula during the previous winter. Such winds promote flow through Unimak Pass, and hence an enhanced flux of nutrient-rich water onto the shelf. This mechanism may have ultimately resulted in favorable feeding conditions for Tanner crab larvae. Finally, an unprecedented coccolithophorid bloom occurred over the Bering Sea shelf in the summer of 1997. This summer featured lighter winds and greater insolation than usual after a spring that included a very strong May storm. This combination brought about a warm, nutrient-poor upper mixed layer by mid-summer. This provided a competitive advantage for coccolithophorid phytoplankton in 1997 and to a lesser extent in 1998. Unusually high concentrations of coccolithophores persisted for the following two years although physical environmental conditions did not remain favorable. While slow variations in the overall aspects of the physical environment may be important for setting the stage, we propose that the significant multi-year adjustments in the marine ecosystem of the Bering Sea shelf are more directly caused by major air,sea interaction events on intraseasonal time scales. [source] Aseasonality in the abundance and life history of an ecologically dominant freshwater crab in the Rift Valley, KenyaFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007MICHAEL DOBSON Summary 1. Freshwater crabs appear to show at least two alternative life history patterns, which differ in the timing of seasonal reproduction. Reproduction occurs during low flow among temperate lotic species, but during high water levels among wetland species. Crab biomass is often very high and both strategies would lead to spatial and temporal pulses in density and biomass. The life history and reproductive strategy adopted by tropical lotic species is poorly known, however, despite their importance in community and ecosystem dynamics. 2. In this study, we determined annual patterns of life history, density and biomass of a lotic freshwater crab in a small headwater stream in the East African highlands where it maintains high biomass. This crab is an as yet undescribed species of Potamonautes, here referred to as the Chinga crab. 3. Crabs were sampled non-destructively for 15 months using baited traps and benthic sampling with a Surber sampler. At the end of the study, an intensive hand search was carried out. Each method was biased towards different size classes of crabs and the efficiency of both long-term methods varied according to water levels in the stream. The intensive search was more effective than benthic sampling, but failed to record the large individuals caught by baited traps. 4. Population density and biomass remained constantly high throughout the study period. Reproduction, as evidenced by the presence of ovigerous females and small free-living juveniles, also showed no seasonality. As a consequence, the population size structure (size-frequency distribution) of crabs remained constant throughout the year. 5. The Chinga crab illustrates a third life history pattern, with no clear breeding season, and this may be common among tropical species. This is probably a consequence of the non-seasonal nature of its habitat: temperature varied little throughout the year and rainfall fluctuations were relatively small. This strategy allows the species to maintain high biomass without seasonal pulses and, perhaps, to dominate community and ecosystem processes. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||