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Artemia
Kinds of Artemia Terms modified by Artemia Selected AbstractsBrine shrimp bioassay: Importance of correct taxonomic identification of Artemia (Anostraca) speciesENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2008David R. Ruebhart Abstract Despite the common use of the brine shrimp bioassay in toxicology, there is confusion in the literature regarding citation of the correct taxonomic identity of the Artemia species used. The genus Artemia, once thought to be represented by a single species Artemia salina, is now known to be composed of several bisexual species as well as parthenogenetic populations. Artemia franciscana is the best studied of the Artemia species and is considered to represent the vast majority of studies in which Artemia is used as an experimental test organism. We found that in studies referring to the use of A. salina, the zoogeography of the cyst harvest site indicated that the species used was actually A. franciscana. Those performing bioassays with Artemia need to exercise diligence in assigning correct species identification, as the identity of the test organism is an important parameter in assuring the validity of the results of the assay. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2008. [source] Toxicology of a Microcystis ichthyoblabe waterbloom from Lake Oued Mellah (Morocco)ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Brahim Sabour Abstract In the Lake Oued Mellah cyanobacteria waterblooms occur periodically in late spring and summer with Microcystis ichthyoblabe as the main bloom-forming species. In 1999, a heavy waterbloom of M. ichthyoblabe occurred during May June with a maximal biomass of 298 mg/l. During this period, several bloom samples were collected. The toxicity assessment was done by mouse and brine shrimp (Artemia) bioassays. Apart from the sample collected on 15/06/1999, all the other samples were toxic by mouse bioassay. The LD50 determined by intraperitoneal injection to mice during active cyanobacterial growth and decline phases were 518 and 1924 mgDW/kg respectively. Using Artemia bioassay, the 24hLC50 varied from 6.0 to 40.6 mg/ml and the 48hLC50 ranged from 2.8 to 18.2 mg/ml. The separation and identification of microcystin variants was performed by high performance liquid chromatography,photodiode array detection. Eleven toxins were separated and preliminarily identified as microcystin variants as they exhibit a typical UV spectra like the microcystin-LR standard. The quantification of total microcystins determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that the contents were varied between 0.1 and 0.76 ,g/g DW. © 2002 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 17: 24,31, 2002 [source] Silencing of an abdominal Hox gene during early development is correlated with limb development in a crustacean trunkEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2010Cheryl C. Hsia SUMMARY We tested whether Artemia abd-A could repress limbs in Drosophila embryos, and found that although abd-A transcripts were produced, ABD-A protein was not. Similarly, developing Artemia epidermal cells showed expression of abd-A transcripts without accumulation of ABD-A protein. This finding in Artemia reveals a new variation in Hox gene function that is associated with morphological evolution. In this case, a HOX protein expression pattern is completely absent during early development, although the HOX protein is expressed at later stages in the central nervous system in a "homeotic-like" pattern. The combination of an absence of ABD-A protein expression in the Artemia limb primordia and the weak repressive function of Artemia UBX protein on the limb-promoting gene Dll are likely to be two reasons why homonomous limbs develop throughout the entire Artemia trunk. [source] Conservation of arthropod midline netrin accumulation revealed with a cross-reactive antibody provides evidence for midline cell homologyEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2009Wendy Simanton SUMMARY Although many similarities in arthropod CNS development exist, differences in axonogenesis and the formation of midline cells, which regulate axon growth, have been observed. For example, axon growth patterns in the ventral nerve cord of Artemia franciscana differ from that of Drosophila melanogaster. Despite such differences, conserved molecular marker expression at the midline of several arthropod species indicates that midline cells may be homologous in distantly related arthropods. However, data from additional species are needed to test this hypothesis. In this investigation, nerve cord formation and the putative homology of midline cells were examined in distantly related arthropods, including: long- and short-germ insects (D. melanogaster, Aedes aeygypti, and Tribolium castaneum), branchiopod crustaceans (A. franciscana and Triops longicauditus), and malacostracan crustaceans (Porcellio laevis and Parhyale hawaiensis). These comparative analyses were aided by a cross-reactive antibody generated against the Netrin (Net) protein, a midline cell marker and regulator of axonogenesis. The mechanism of nerve cord formation observed in Artemia is found in Triops, another branchiopod, but is not found in the other arthropods examined. Despite divergent mechanisms of midline cell formation and nerve cord development, Net accumulation is detected in a well-conserved subset of midline cells in branchiopod crustaceans, malacostracan crustaceans, and insects. Notably, the Net accumulation pattern is also conserved at the midline of the amphipod P. hawaiensis, which undergoes split germ-band development. Conserved Net accumulation patterns indicate that arthropod midline cells are homologous, and that Nets function to regulate commissure formation during CNS development of Tetraconata. [source] Delayed onset of midline netrin expression in Artemia franciscana coincides with commissural axon growth and provides evidence for homology of midline cells in distantly related arthropodsEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2007Molly Duman-Scheel SUMMARY Although many similarities in arthropod central nervous systems (CNS) development exist, differences in midline cell formation and ventral nerve cord axonogenesis have been noted in arthropods. It is possible that changes in the expression of axon guidance molecules such as Netrin, which functions during commissural axon guidance in Drosophila and many other organisms, may parallel these differences. In this investigation, we analyze this hypothesis by examining Netrin accumulation during development of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana, a branchiopod crustacean. An Artemia franciscana netrin (afrnet) orthologue was cloned. An antibody to the afrNet protein was generated and used to examine the pattern of afrNet accumulation during Artemia development. Despite differences between Drosophila and Artemia nerve cord development, examination of afrNet accumulation suggests that this protein functions to regulate commissure formation during Artemia CNS development. However, detection of afrNet at the midline and on commissural axons occurs at a relatively later time point in Artemia as compared with Drosophila. Detection of afrNet in a subset of midline cells that closely resemble Netrin-expressing cells at the Drosophila midline provides evidence for homology of midline cells in arthropods. Expression of Netrins in many other tissues is comparable, suggesting that Netrin proteins may play many conserved roles during arthropod development. [source] Transcriptional readthrough of Hox genes Ubx and Antp and their divergent post-transcriptional control during crustacean evolutionEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2006Yasuhiro Shiga SUMMARY Hox genes are in principle tandemly arranged in an order colinear with their order of expression along the anterior,posterior axis. Combinations of Hox proteins encode information that specifies the unique characteristics of axial regions in the metazoan body plan. The independent regulation of Hox genes achieved by differential promoter activity is essential for the expression of Hox proteins in distinct territories and thereby creating a full repertoire of Hox codes. Here we report the abundant expression of transcriptional readthrough products of two adjacent Hox genes, Ubx, and Antp, in five crustacean species of Branchiopoda and Malacostraca. Bicistronic mRNA places Antp under the control of the Ubx promoter, which is active in the posterior segments of two branchiopodans Daphnia and Artemia, and would normally reduce the complexity of Hox codes if translated. This does not occur, however, as the translational capability of the bicistronic mRNA is limited. In Daphnia, bicistronic Ubx/Antp mRNA produced no significant level of either UBX or ANTP. In Artemia, on the other hand, the bicistronic mRNA produced only UBX, and replaced the role of monocistronic Ubx mRNA. In this way, multiple post-transcriptional control mechanisms in two extant branchiopodans can be seen as preventing the potentially deleterious consequences of Hox gene fusion. [source] A 49 kDa microtubule cross-linking protein from Artemia franciscana is a coenzyme A-transferaseFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 24 2003Mindy M. Oulton Embryos and larvae of the brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana, were shown previously to possess a protein, now termed p49, which cross-links microtubules in vitro. Molecular characteristics of p49 were described, but the protein's identity and its role in the cell were not determined. Degenerate oligonucleotide primers designed on the basis of peptide sequence obtained by Edman degradation during this study were used to generate p49 cDNAs by RT-PCR and these were cloned and sequenced. Comparison with archived sequences revealed that the deduced amino acid sequence of p49 resembled the Drosophila gene product CG7920, as well as related proteins encoded in the genomes of Anopheles and Caenorhabditis. Similar proteins exist in several bacteria but no evident homologues were found in vertebrates and plants, and only very distant homologues resided in yeast. When evolutionary relationships were compared, p49 and the homologues from Drosophila, Anopheles and Caenorhabditis formed a distinct subcluster within phylogenetic trees. Additionally, the predicted secondary structures of p49, 4-hydroxybutyrate CoA-transferase from Clostridium aminobutyricum and glutaconate CoA-transferase from Acidaminococcus fermentans were similar and the enzymes may possess related catalytic mechanisms. The purified Artemia protein exhibited 4-hydroxybutyrate CoA-transferase activity, thereby establishing p49 as the first crustacean CoA-transferase to be characterized. Probing of Western blots with an antibody against p49 revealed a cross-reactive protein in Drosophila that associated with microtubules, but to a lesser extent than did p49 from Artemia. [source] Molecular characterization of artemin and ferritin from Artemia franciscanaFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 1 2003Tao Chen Embryos of the brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana, exhibit remarkable resistance to physiological stress, which is temporally correlated with the presence of two proteins, one a small heat shock/,-crystallin protein termed p26 and the other called artemin, of unknown function. Artemin was sequenced previously by Edman degradation, and its relationship to ferritin, an iron storage protein, established. The isolation from an Artemia expressed sequence tag library of artemin and ferritin cDNAs extends this work. Artemin cDNA was found to contain an ORF of 693 nucleotides, and its deduced amino-acid sequence, except for the initiator methionine, was identical with that determined previously. Ferritin cDNA is 725 bp in length with an ORF of 516 nucleotides. Artemin amino-acid residues 32,185 are most similar to ferritin, but artemin is enriched in cysteines. The abundance of cysteines and their intramolecular spatial distribution suggest that artemin protects embryos against oxidative damage and/or that its function is redox regulated. The conserved regions in artemin and ferritin monomers are structurally similar to one another and both proteins assemble into oligomers. However, modeling of the quaternary structure indicated that artemin multimers lack the central space used for metal storage that characterizes ferritin oligomers, implying different roles for this protein. Probing of Northern blots revealed two artemin transcripts, one of 3.5 kb and another of 2.2 kb. These transcripts decreased in parallel and had almost disappeared by 16 h of development. The ferritin transcript of 0.8 kb increased slightly during reinitiation of development, then declined, and was almost completely gone by 16 h. Clearly, the loss of artemin and ferritin during embryo development is due to transcriptional regulation and proteolytic degradation of the proteins. [source] Comparison of some live organisms and artificial diet as feed for Asian catfish Clarias macrocephalus (Günther) larvaeJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 5 2005A. D. Evangelista Summary Experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of five live organisms (Artemia, Brachionus calyciflorus, Chironomus plumosus, Moina macrocopa and Tubifex sp.) and an artificial diet (40% protein) in the larval rearing of Asian catfish Clarias macrocephalus. The larvae were fed three times daily starting at the onset of exogenous feeding. Results showed that the catfish larvae utilized the live organisms more efficiently than the artificial diet. The Tubifex -fed larvae consistently showed the highest growth rate. In trial 1, length increment (64.9 mm), weight gain (3192 mg) and specific growth rate (13.1%) after 8 weeks of feeding were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in catfish larvae given Tubifex than those in all other treatments. In trial 2, length increment after 4 weeks of feeding was highest in larvae fed Tubifex (22.9 mm) although it did not significantly differ from that of larvae given Moina (21.0 mm). However, weight gain of larvae fed Tubifex (253.0 mg) was significantly higher than that of larvae fed Moina (171.6 mg). The specific growth rate was highest for larvae fed Tubifex (15.0%) followed by larvae fed Artemia (14.5%), Moina (14.4%) and Chironomus (12.0%). Survival rates of the catfish larvae ranged from 9 to 39% after 8 weeks in trial 1 and from 26 to 83% after 4 weeks in trial 2. The present results suggest that Tubifex is an excellent food and a potential substitute for Artemia in the rearing of catfish larvae. [source] Larval rearing of chub, Leuciscus cephalus (L.), using decapsulated Artemia as direct foodJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 2 2003A. Shiri Harzevili Summary Little is known about the larviculture of the chub, Leuciscus cephalus (L.), an endangered cyprinid species endemic to European flowing waters. The use of decapsulated Artemia cysts as food for chub larviculture was investigated. After 3-day feeding with the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus, the larvae were fed on different diets: (i) dried decapsulated Artemia cysts, (ii) Artemia nauplii, (iii) rotifers for seven more days and then Daphnia collected from a pond, and (iv) an artificial diet. After a 24-day rearing period, the highest survival rate was obtained with the larvae receiving decapsulated Artemia cysts. Feeding of the larvae with an artificial diet resulted in a significantly lower survival rate compared with the other groups. At the end of the experiment, the larvae fed on Artemia nauplii yielded a significantly higher mean length compared with the other groups. Feeding an artificial diet resulted in a significantly lower average weight and mean length gain compared with the other groups. [source] Experimental vertical transmission of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNV) and extra small virus (XSV) from brooders to progeny in Macrobrachium rosenbergii and ArtemiaJOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES, Issue 1 2007R Sudhakaran Abstract White tail disease (WTD) is a serious problem in hatcheries and nursery ponds of Macrobrachium rosenbergii in India. Experiments were carried out to determine the possibility of vertical transmission of M. rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNV) and extra small virus (XSV) in M. rosenbergii and Artemia. Prawn broodstock inoculated with MrNV and XSV by oral or immersion challenge survived without any clinical signs of WTD. The brooders spawned 5,7 days after inoculation and the eggs hatched. The survival rate of larvae gradually decreased, and 100% mortality was observed at the post-larvae (PL) stage. Whitish muscle, the typical sign of WTD, was seen in advanced larval developmental stages. The ovarian tissue and fertilized eggs were found to be positive for MrNV/XSV by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) whereas the larval stages showed positive by RT nested PCR (nRT-PCR). In Artemia, reproductive cysts and nauplii derived from challenged brooders were normal and survival rates were within the expected range for normal rearing conditions. The reproductive cysts were found to be positive for MrNV/XSV by RT-PCR whereas the nauplii showed MrNV/XSV-positive by nRT-PCR. The PL of M. rosenbergii fed nauplii derived from challenged Artemia brooders died at 9 days post-inoculum with clinical signs of WTD. [source] Spatial organization and isotubulin composition of microtubules in epidermal tendon cells of Artemia franciscanaJOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Godelieve R.J. Criel Abstract Epidermally derived tendon cells attach the exoskeleton (cuticle) of the Branchiopod crustacean, Artemia franciscana, to underlying muscle in the hindgut, while the structurally similar transalar tendon (epithelial) cells, which also arise from the epidermis and are polarized, connect dorsal and ventral exopodite surfaces. To establish these latter attachments the transalar tendon cells interact with cuticles on opposite sides of the exopodite by way of their apical surfaces and with one another via basal regions, or the cuticle attachments may be mediated through linkages with phagocytic storage cells found in the hemolymph. In some cases, phyllopod tendon cells attach directly to muscle cells. Tendon cells in the hindgut of Artemia possess microtubule bundles, as do the transalar cells, and they extend from the basal myotendinal junction to the apical domain located near the cuticle. The bundled microtubules intermingle with thin filaments reminiscent of microfilaments, but intermediate filament-like structures are absent. Microtubule bundles converging at apical cell surfaces contact structures termed apical invaginations, composed of cytoplasmic membrane infoldings associated with electron-dense material. Intracuticular rods protrude from apical invaginations, either into the cuticle during intermolt or the molting fluid in premolt. Confocal microscopy of immunofluorescently stained samples revealed tyrosinated, detyrosinated, and acetylated tubulins, the first time posttranslationally modified isoforms of this protein have been demonstrated in crustacean tendon cells. Microfilaments, as shown by staining with phalloidin, coincided spatially with microtubule bundles. Artemia tendon cells clearly represent an interesting system for study of cytoskeleton organization within the context of cytoplasmic polarity and the results in this article indicate functional cooperation of microtubules and microfilaments. These cytoskeletal elements, either acting independently or in concert, may transmit tension from muscle to cuticle in the hindgut and resist compression when connecting exopodite cuticular surfaces. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The Influence of Artemia and Algal Supplements during the Nursery Phase of Rearing Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannameiJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 4 2007Oscar Zelaya A 21-d nursery trial was conducted to evaluate various food supplements on growth and survival of postlarval (PL) Litopenaeus vannamei. Each of four treatments was provided with an equal quantity of a dried commercial feed throughout the study. Three treatments received algae paste (Thalassiosira weissflogii) supplemented every 3 d. These include F, commercial feed plus algae; FAr3, commercial feed plus algae plus Artemia every other day during the first 7 d; and FAr7, commercial feed plus algae plus Artemia every day during the first 7 d. The fourth treatment served as control (FNA); it relied only on the commercial feed plus naturally occurring algae. At the conclusion of the nursery period, there were no significant differences in survival or feed conversion ration for PL nursed in the various treatments. Artemia did have some effect in that PL receiving Artemia supplement for 3 d (FAr3) were significantly larger than those that did not. Algal paste in itself had no significant effect. Overall, results suggest an advantage to supplementing dried feed with Artemia for at least 3 d during the first week of nursery culture but little advantage to the use of a diatom paste as a food supplement. [source] Effect of Diet Processing Method and Ingredient Substitution on Feed Characteristics and Survival of Larval Walleye, Sander vitreusJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 2 2006Frederic T. Barrows Two methods were developed for the production of larval fish diets. The first method, microextrusion marumerization (MEM), has been tested in laboratory feeding trials for many years and produces particles that are palatable and water stable. The second method, particle-assisted rotational agglomeration (PARA), produced diets that have lower density than diets produced by MEM. Each method was used to produce diets in the 250- to 400- and 400- to 700-,m range and compared with a reference diet (Fry Feed Kyowa, [FFK]) for feeding larval walleye in two experiments. The effect of substituting 4% of the fish meal with freeze-dried artemia fines was also investigated. In the first experiment, 30-d survival was greater (P < 0.05) for fish fed a diet produced by PARA without Artemia (49.1.0%) than for fish fed the same diet produced by MEM (27.6%). The addition of Artemia to a diet produced by MEM did not increase survival of larval walleye. Fish fed the reference diet had 24.4% survival. In the second experiment, there was an effect of both processing method and Artemia supplementation, and an interaction of these effects, on survival. Fish fed a diet produced by PARA without Artemia supplementation had 48.4% survival, and fish fed the same diet produced by MEM had only 19.6% survival. Inclusion of 4% freeze-dried Artemia improved (P < 0.04) survival of fish fed MEM particles but not those fed PARA particles. Fish fed FFK had greater weight gain than fish fed other diets in both experiments. Data indicate that the PARA method of diet processing produces smaller, lower density particles than the MEM process and that diets produced by the PARA process support higher survival of larval walleye with low capital and operating costs. [source] Evolutionary assessment of Artemia tibetiana (Crustacea, Anostraca) based on morphometry and 16S rRNA RFLP analysisJOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH, Issue 3 2005A. D. Baxevanis Abstract Over the last few years, molecular-based assays in the genus Artemia have considerably enriched prior systematic assessments based on morphometry. For the first time, morphometric and 16S rRNA PCR-RFLP analyses on all type-locality bisexual species of the genus have been employed here. Emphasis was put on the Asian species (Artemia urmiana, A. tibetiana, A. sinica) where patterns of divergence and reproductive isolation are rather discrete, and especially on A. tibetiana for which recent reports have questioned its specific status. Discriminant analysis of morphometric characters has shown significant differentiation among species. Classification scores were 99.4 and 100% for males and females, respectively. Mitochondrial DNA RFLP patterns have given indications for lower, albeit similar patterns of differentiation compared with those obtained by morphometry. Artemia tibetiana and A. urmiana are mitochondrially indistinguishable which is suggestive of recent ancestry. Our data, in conjunction with past evidence, are supportive of a significant amount of divergence between A. tibetiana and A. sinica. Morphometric and molecular assays can be reciprocally informative provided theory and patterns of speciation are incorporated into systematic assessments. Résumé Ces dernières années, les outils moléculaires utilisés dans l'étude du genre Artemia ont considèrablement enrichi les analyses systématiques antérieures basées sur la morphométrie. Pour la première fois, des analyses morphométriques et des analyses PCR-RFLP de l'ARN ribosomique 16S ont été effectuées pour toutes les espèces amphigoniques d'Artemia venant des localités types. Dans cette étude, nous nous sommes concentrés sur les espèces asiatiques (A. urmiana, A. tibetiana, A. sinica), qui présentent des traits de divergence et un isolement reproductif assez singuliers, et tout particulièrement sur l'A. tibetiana dont le statut d'espèce à part entière a été mis en doute dans de récentes études. Une analyse discriminante des caractéristiques morphométriques a révélé une différenciation importante parmi les espèces. Pour les mâles et les femelles, les scores de classification étaient respectivement de 99,4% et 100%. Les profils RFLP de l'ADN mitochondrial ont montré une différenciation similaire à celle observée grâce à l'analyse morphométrique. L'ADN mitochondrial de l'A. tibetiana est indifférenciable de celui de l'A. urmiana, ce qui suggère que ces deux espèces ont récemment divergé. Nos données, combinées à celles recueillies par le passé, indiquent une grande divergence entre l'A. tibetiana et l'A. sinica. Les analyses morphométriques et moléculaires peuvent se compléter à condition de tenir compte de la théorie de la spéciation et des modèles de spéciation durant les analyses systématiques. [source] Ultrastructure of cyst shell and underlying membranes of three strains of the brine shrimp Artemia (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) from South IndiaMICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE, Issue 12 2006V. Sugumar Abstract The cyst of Artemia has shell and membranous coverings over the embryo. The membranous coverings have special adaptive features to allow the physical changes accompanying repeated hydration and dehydration cycles that might occur and adversely influence postembryonic development. Whole and slices of cryptobiotic cysts were processed for electron microscopy to study the internal details and to compare the morphological architecture of three Artemia strains of South India. Surface topography of scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies revealed distinct button shaped structures on the cyst of Puthalam strain. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies of the cysts displayed the conventional pattern of anostracan crustaceans with outer cortex and alveolar layer, cuticular membranes, and the cytoplasmic inclusions namely nucleus, yolk droplets, lipoid bodies, and mitochondria. The prominent wavy outer cortex layer of Puthalam cysts corroborates the results of SEM studies. Microsc. Res. Tech. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Senegalese sole larvae growth and protein utilization is depressed when co-fed high levels of inert diet and Artemia since first feedingAQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 5 2010S. ENGROLA Abstract A large effort has been dedicated in the past years to the development of nutritional balanced inert diets for marine fish larvae in order to suppress the nutritional deficiencies of live feed. In this study growth performance, Artemia intake, protein digestibility and protein retention were measured for Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis Kaup), in order to provide insight into how protein utilization affects growth performance. Three feeding regimes were tested: ST , standard live feed; ArtRL , live feed and 20%Artemia replacement with inert diet (dry matter basis) from mouth opening; ArtRH , live feed and 58%Artemia replacement with inert diet from mouth opening. Artemia intake and protein metabolism were determined at 6, 15 and 21 days after hatching using 14C-labelled Artemia protein and subsequent incubation in metabolic chambers. At the end of the experiment, sole fed exclusively with live feed were significantly larger than sole from Artemia replacement treatments. Protein digestibility decreased during sole ontogeny, and more sharply in ArtRH sole. Concomitantly retention efficiency increased during ontogeny but with a slight delay in ArtRH sole. Senegalese sole larvae growth and protein utilization is depressed when co-fed high levels of inert diet and Artemia, mostly during metamorphosis climax. [source] Monthly assessments of proteins, fatty acids and amino acids in Artemia franciscana cultivated in ,Las Salinas de Hidalgo', state of San Luis Potosí, MexicoAQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 2 2009T. CASTRO Abstract This study presents the biochemical contents of Artemia biomass produced in a pond in ,Las Salinas de Hidalgo', State of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The culture was realized over a period of 1 year in an 80 × 50 × 0.65 m (200 m3) pond. The feed consisted of a mixture of four micro algae. Samples of 1 kg of Artemia biomass (wet basis) were taken monthly and total protein, total lipid, amino acids and fatty acids were assessed. The contents of total protein and lipids showed a similar tendency from July to December (maintained values of about 300 mg g,1 for protein and 90 mg g,1 for lipids). With the exception of methionine and arginine, other seven indispensable amino acids were detected in the monthly samples, having similar values during the period from July to December. The most common fatty acids determined were the C16, C18, C18:1 and C18:3n6. Both, C20:4n6 and C20:5n3, were observed occasionally, but in high quantities. The use of the four micro algae as food for the Artemia cultured extensively, improved the biochemical composition and allows using this crustacean as feed for several species of aquatic organisms used for ornamental or human consumption. [source] Use of Cyclop-eeze as a substitute for Artemia nauplii in larval rearing of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man 1879)AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 2 2007C. MOHANAKUMARAN NAIR Abstract Four feeding experiments, replacing 25% (T1), 50% (T2), 75% (T3) and 100% (T4), by dry weight, of the live feed Artemia nauplii for Cyclop-eeze, a new larval feed that was claimed to contain the highest known levels of astaxanthin and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, were compared against a control that was fed with Artemia and egg custard alone, to the larvae of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man 1879). Analysis of different production characteristics of the larvae revealed that the highest survival up to postlarvae (PL) stage was obtained for T2 in which 50% of the Artemia nauplii were replaced by Cyclop-eeze [freeze-dried (FD) deep frozen (DF)], and the highest astaxanthin content of the larval tissue obtained in T4 in which the larvae were fed 100% Cyclop-eeze, although the survival rate was the lowest in this treatment. The costs of different treatments were also compared. The Artemia consumption million,1 larvae was the highest in control (11490 g), followed by T1 (8240 g), T2 (4990 g), T3 (3730 g) and T4, which completely replaced Artemia from stage 5 onwards (1830 g). The highest consumption of Cyclop-eeze million,1 larvae was in T4 (1670 and 10 880 g), followed by T3 (850 and 5560 g), T2 (410 and 2690 g) and T1 (230 and 1490 g) of FD and DF, respectively. The astaxanthin contents of the late-stage larvae fed under the four treatments were 24.90, 27.40, 28.60 and 35.60 ,g g,1 tissue for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively, while that of the control was 23.70 ,g g,1. The lowest cost of live feeds million,1 PL was obtained for T2 (US$ 428.60), followed by T1 (US$ 490.46), control (US$ 529.07) and T3 (US$ 583.26), while it was the highest for T4 (US$ 890.93). The results indicated that Cyclop-eeze could economically replace Artemia nauplii at 50% level that could significantly improve the survival and carotenoid composition of the larvae of M. rosenbergii. [source] Effect of supplemental l -ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate in enriched live food on the antioxidant defense system of Penaeus vannamei of different sizes exposed to ammonia-NAQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 5 2006W.-N. WANG Abstract The effects of supplemental l -ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (APP) in enriched live food (Artemia) on reactive oxygen intermediate (ROI) and free radical scavenging enzyme (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione transferase) activities in the muscle of Penaeus vannamei of two sizes exposed to ambient ammonia-N, were investigated. Significantly, decreased ROI value was found in prawns fed on enriched Artemia compared with those fed on starved Artemia (P < 0.05); the decrease was 24% and 36%, respectively. In both size classes, the antioxidant enzyme activities in prawns fed on enriched Artemia were higher than in those fed on starved Artemia (P < 0.05). The results demonstrated that the supplementation of ascorbic acid in enriched live food (Artemia) enhanced the antioxidant capacity of prawn, increasing its defense system that may fight against environmental stress, leading to impaired ammonia toxicity. [source] Iodine enrichment of Artemia and enhanced levels of iodine in Atlantic halibut larvae (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.) fed the enriched ArtemiaAQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 2 2006M. MOREN Abstract Flatfish metamorphosis is initiated by the actions of thyroid hormones (TH) and iodine is an essential part of these hormones. Hence, an iodine deficiency may lead to insufficient levels of TH and incomplete metamorphosis. In this study, different iodine sources for enrichment of Artemia were evaluated and the levels of iodine obtained in Artemia were within the range of 60,350 ,g g,1 found in copepods. Larval Atlantic halibut was fed Artemia enriched with either normal DC-DHA Selco or DC-DHA Selco (commercial enrichments) supplemented with iodine from days 9 to 60 postfirst feeding. There was no significant difference in growth, mortality or metamorphic development between the groups. The analyses showed that we were able to enrich Artemia with iodine. Further, the larvae-fed iodine-enriched Artemia had higher whole body iodine concentration compared to larvae-fed Artemia without iodine enrichment. [source] Fatty acid profiles of spiny lobster (Panulirus homarus) phyllosoma fed enriched ArtemiaAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 10 2010Kajal Chakraborty Abstract Three different life stages of spiny lobster larvae (phyllosoma) of Panulirus homarus were fed A1-Selco-enriched Artemia in two culture treatments, one with the microalgae Nannochloropsis salina (green water) and the other without the microalgae (clear water) to assess the ability to manipulate their fatty acid composition. Phyllosoma fed with 3-h A1-Selco-enriched Artemia salina attained Stage VIII (5.3 mm) and Stage V (3.4 mm) in 42 days in the green and clear water treatments respectively. The higher content of the essential fatty acids in N. salina (eicosapentaenoic acid, 25.8%; arachidonic acid, 9.5%; and docosahexaenoic acid, 4.2%) in the green water system increased the fatty acid content of the live food Artemia, and ultimately the phyllosoma. In spite of phyllosoma being fed with enriched Artemia in the clear water system, the total polyunsaturated fatty acid content of the early (Stages I,III) and mid stage (Stages IV,V) phyllosoma were significantly smaller (18.8% and 14.6% respectively) (P<0.05) than in the green water system (25.3% and 21.2% respectively). These results indicate the positive role of the microalgae in boosting the essential fatty acid content of lobster larvae. [source] Weaning requirements of larval mulloway, Argyrosomus japonicusAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 10 2010Debra A Ballagh Abstract Mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) is an emerging aquaculture species in Australia, but there is a need to improve the production technology and lower costs, including those associated with larval rearing and live feeds. Three experiments were conducted to determine appropriate weaning strategies from live feeds, rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) and Artemia, to cheaper formulated pellet diets. Experiment 1 examined the effects of feeding Artemia at different levels [0%, 50% or 100% ration of Artemia fed from 18 days after hatching (dah); based on current hatchery protocols] and a pellet diet from two larval ages (14 or 23 dah). In addition, rotifers were supplied to larvae in all treatments for the duration of the experiment (14,29 dah), at which time all larvae were successfully weaned onto the pellet diet. No significant (P>0.05) differences existed between the growth of fish fed a 50% and 100% ration of Artemia; however, fish fed a 0% ration of Artemia had significantly (P<0.05) reduced growth. The time of pellet introduction had no significant (P>0.05) effects on the growth of larvae. Experiments 2 and 3 were designed to determine the size [total length (TL), mm] at which mulloway larvae selected Artemia equally or in preference to rotifers, and pellet (400 ,m) equally or in preference to Artemia respectively. Each day, larvae were transferred from a holding tank to experimental vessels and provided with rotifers (2 mL,1), Artemia (2 mL,1) or a combination of rotifers (1 mL,1) and Artemia (1 mL,1) (Experiment 2), and Artemia (2 mL,1), a pellet diet or a combination of Artemia (1 mL,1) and a pellet diet that was broadcast every 15 min (Experiment 3). After 1 h, a sub-sample of larvae was randomly selected from each replicate vessel (n=5) and the gut contents were examined under a light microscope. Mulloway larvae began selecting Artemia equally to rotifers at 5.2 ± 0.5 mm TL and selected pellets equally to Artemia at 10.6 ± 1.8 mm TL. Our results have led to the establishment of weaning protocols for larval mulloway, which optimize larval growth while reducing feed cost by minimizing the amount of Artemia used during production. [source] REVIEW ARTICLE: Live prey first feeding regimes for short-snouted seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus (Linnaeus, 1758) juvenilesAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 9 2010Francisco Otero-Ferrer Abstract As with many species of seahorses, Hippocampus hippocampus wild populations are being subjected to uncontrolled exploitation in their natural environment. Thus, aquaculture could contribute to satisfy the commercial demand for animals while promoting the recovery of wild stocks. The present study was conducted to compare the effect of the substituting Artemia nauplii with rotifers for first feeding seahorse juveniles. Survival, growth and biochemical composition of prey organisms and fish were studied during the feeding trial. In addition, to help the biometric study, an anaesthetic test was also carried out using clove oil. The results showed excellent survival (average 60%) in juveniles exclusively fed with Artemia, with better values than those reported previously obtained by other authors for this species. By comparison, high mortality and poor growth were observed during first feeding with seahorses fed on rotifers. This could have been related to the lower energy intake and poorer nutritional value of the rotifers. Furthermore, clove oil concentrations of 25 ppm were found to work well as an anaesthetic for seahorse juveniles. Overall, first feeding Artemia alone was found to be an efficient and simplified method for feeding young H. hippocampus fry, building the principles for their culture for ornamental or re-stocking purposes. [source] Dietary supplementation of mannan oligosaccharide on white sea bream (Diplodus sargus L.) larvae: effects on development, gut morphology and salinity toleranceAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 9 2010Arkadios Dimitroglou Abstract The influence of dietary mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) on the development, gut integrity and quality (in respect of stamina and survivability) of white sea bream Diplodus sargus L. larvae was investigated. White sea bream larvae were held under appropriate rearing conditions and fed Artemia, enriched by A1 DHA SelcoÔ with the addition or absence of MOS (Bio-Mos®). The results indicated that larval growth performance and survivability were not affected by the MOS supplementation. Light microscopy revealed that MOS supplementation significantly improved the intestinal morphology by increasing the villi surface area by over 12%. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that MOS supplementation increased the microvilli length by 26% compared with the control. Salinity challenge experiments showed that MOS significantly increased larval stamina and survival in both 0 and 60 mg L,1 salinity water by 13% and 22.9% respectively. These improvements in the larval quality at the early stages of fish development are important for the efficiency of intensive hatchery production. [source] Use of flubendazole as a therapeutic agent against rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) in intensive cultures of the harpacticoid copepod Tisbe holothuriaeAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 7 2010Svend J Steenfeldt Abstract Copepods are well known to be the optimal live feed for most species of marine fish larvae. Still copepods are rarely used in marine hatcheries worldwide. Lack of efficient production techniques are among the reasons for this. Consequently, Artemia and rotifers are utilized in commercial settings. One problem in intensive production of copepods is contamination with rotifers. Rotifers have higher growth rates than copepods and consequently will compete out the copepods when accidentally introduced to the copepod production systems. Once contamination has occurred, the only cure has been to shut down production and subsequently use a therapeutic agent to eliminate all zooplankton in the system before restart with a stock culture free of rotifers. We tested flubendazole as a mean of controlling rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) in intensive laboratory cultures of the harpacticoid copepod (Tisbe holothuria). Flubendazole was lethal to rotifers in concentrations as low as 0.05 mg L,1. There was no significant effect on the concentration of copepods, even at the highest concentration tested, i.e. 5.0 mg L,1 flubendazole. We conclude that flubendazole is an effective drug for control of B. plicatilis in T. holothuriae batch cultures. [source] Encapsulation capacity of Artemia nauplii with customized probiotics for use in the cultivation of western king prawns (Penaeus latisulcatus Kishinouye, 1896)AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 6 2010Ngo Van Hai Abstract The encapsulation capacity of Artemia nauplii with customized probiotics Pseudomonas synxantha and Pseudomonas aeruginosa for use in the cultivation of western king prawns (Penaeus latisulcatus) was investigated. Seven trials were conducted to investigate this encapsulation capacity in terms of Artemia survival and probiotic load in Artemia. Newly hatched Artemia nauplii at 250 nauplii mL,1 were fed individual probiotics at 0, 103, 105 and 107 colony-forming units (CFU) per millilitre, and mixtures of these two probiotics (105 CFU mL,1) at 30:70, 50:50 or 70:30 v/v in a medium of ozonated water (OW), tryptone soya broth (TSB), and a mixture of these media. The appropriate medium for encapsulation of probiotics by Artemia nauplii was the mixture of OW and TSB at 75:25 v/v; whereas, the use of OW or TSB alone was not effective. Artemia nauplii most effectively encapsulated the customized probiotics at 105 CFU mL,1. The results indicates that the encapsulation of Artemia nauplii is optimized by using a combination of P. synxantha and P. aeruginosa at 50:50 v/v in a media mixture of OW and TSB at 75: 25 v/v. Artemia should be harvested at 48 h when survival is still high (78%) and the probiotic load in Artemia is high (3 × 104 CFU nauplius,1). [source] Live feeds for early stages of fish rearingAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 5 2010Luís E C Conceição Abstract Despite the recent progress in the production of inert diets for fish larvae, feeding of most species of interest for aquaculture still relies on live feeds during the early life stages. Independently of their nutritional value, live feeds are easily detected and captured, due to their swimming movements in the water column, and highly digestible, given their lower nutrient concentration (water content>80%). The present paper reviews the main types of live feeds used in aquaculture, their advantages and pitfalls, with a special emphasis on their nutritional value and the extent to which this can be manipulated. The most commonly used live feeds in aquaculture are rotifers (Brachionus sp.) and brine shrimp (Artemia sp.), due to the existence of standardized cost-effective protocols for their mass production. However, both rotifers and Artemia have nutritional deficiencies for marine species, particularly in essential n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA, e.g., docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid). Enrichment of these live feeds with HUFA-rich lipid emulsions may lead to an excess dietary lipid and sub-optimal dietary protein content for fish larvae. In addition, rotifers and Artemia are likely to have sub-optimal dietary levels of some amino acids, vitamins and minerals, at least for some species. Several species of microalgae are also used in larviculture. These are used as feed for other live feeds, but mostly in the ,green water' technique in fish larval rearing, with putative beneficial effects on feeding behaviour, digestive function, nutritional value, water quality and microflora. Copepods and other natural zooplankton organisms have also been used as live feeds, normally with considerably better results in terms of larval survival rates, growth and quality, when compared with rotifers and Artemia. Nonetheless, technical difficulties in mass-producing these organisms are still a constraint to their routine use. Improvements in inert microdiets will likely lead to a progressive substitution of live feeds. However, complete substitution is probably years away for most species, at least for the first days of feeding. [source] Roles of lipid-soluble vitamins during ontogeny of marine fish larvaeAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 5 2010Kristin Hamre Abstract The roles of lipid-soluble vitamins during ontogeny of marine fish larvae are a subject topic where only fragments of the whole picture are known. Most of the research has been focussed on the larval requirements and the availability of these vitamins in the live feed organisms used for early-stage larvae, while the function of the vitamins in the larvae themselves is largely unknown. Our knowledge is mostly extrapolated from research on other vertebrates and also in part from juvenile and adult fish. Vitamin A is known to be essential for establishing body and organ axes in vertebrate embryos and interacts with other nutrients such as vitamin D and fatty acids through the steroid/thyroid nuclear hormone receptor family. In marine fish larvae, excess vitamin A stimulates pigmentation, but at the same time induces vertebral deformities. Live feed organisms contain very little vitamin A but marine fish larvae appear to convert carotenoids in Artemia and copepods to vitamin A, while rotifers, which contain little carotenoids, should be enriched with vitamin A. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and is important for the protection of marine fish larvae against the oxidation pressure probably present in intensive rearing systems. Vitamin E may also have other roles connected to its modulation of cell and tissue red-ox balance. In marine fish larvae and juveniles, vitamin E has been shown to enhance the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency, while protecting against the oxidative effect of n-3 fatty acids. Vitamin D is important for the modulation of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and for the development of the vertebrate skeleton. Vitamin K influences bone development and coagulation of the blood. There is little information on vitamins D and K connected to the ontogeny of marine fish larvae. [source] Reproduction, early development and larviculture of the barber goby, Elacatinus figaro (Sazima, Moura & Rosa 1997)AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Maria Eugenia Meirelles Abstract The barber goby, Elacatinus figaro, is a cleaner species of ecological importance and of keen interest to the aquarium trade. Endemic to Brazil, it is a threatened species and so aquaculture is a potential solution for reducing pressure on the natural stocks. This study describes the reproductive behaviour, the embryonic and larval development and the general breeding and rearing conditions. Ten wild fish initiated the formation of breeding pairs 20 days after acclimation to captivity. Spawning started 12 days after the first pair was formed, with one female from each pair spawning from 140 to 700 eggs (n=15 spawnings). The average period of incubation of the eggs was 6.8 days at 25 °C. The best hatching rate was 99.5% (n=10 spawnings). Larval rearing used Nannochloropsis oculata with rotifers (Brachionus rotundiformis) as the first food (day 0,25); nauplii and meta-nauplii of Artemia were fed from day 18 until larval metamorphosis with subsequent weaning using commercial marine fish diets. The transformation to juveniles started at around the 30th day post hatch. The best larval survival rate until complete metamorphosis was 30.6% (n=4 larvicultures). After this period, the mortality was insignificant. This study demonstrated that the cultivation of barber goby is feasible. [source] | ||||||||||||||||