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In This Article

  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Protocol
  • Representative Results
  • Discussion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Materials
  • References
  • Reprints and Permissions

Summary

Two eyestalk ablation protocols (i.e., cauterization and surgery approaches) were performed on anesthetized female crabs. The eyestalk ablation of mud crabs hastened the ripening of ovaries without decreasing the survival rate.

Abstract

Mud crabs (Scylla spp.) are commercially important crustacean species that can be found throughout the Indo-West Pacific region. During culture, the induction of ovarian maturation is important to meet the consumer demand for mature mud crabs and hasten seed production. Eyestalk ablation is an effective tool to enhance ovarian maturation in mud crabs. However, there is no standard protocol for the eyestalk ablation of mud crabs. In this study, two eyestalk ablation techniques are described: cauterization (the use of hot metal to ablate the eyestalk of an anesthetized crab) and surgery (the removal of the eyestalk using surgical scissors). Before eyestalk ablation, sexually mature females (CW > 86 mm) were anesthetized using an ice bag (−20 °C) with seawater. When the water temperature reached 4 °C, the ice bag was removed from the water. Flowing seawater (ambient temperature: 28 °C) was used for recovery from the anesthesia immediately after eyestalk ablation. Mortality did not occur during or after the process of eyestalk ablation. The eyestalk ablation protocol presented here accelerated the ovarian maturation of the mud crabs.

Introduction

All four mud crab species belonging to the genus Scylla are commercially important crustacean species in aquaculture1,2. The growth of crustaceans, including mud crabs, and their transformation from the pre-mature (sub-adult or pubertal) phase to the sexually mature (adult) phase occur through a molting process that involves the periodic shedding of older and smaller exoskeletons. Carapace width (CW), chelipeds, and abdominal flap morphologies are widely used to determine the sexual maturity of Scylla spp.3,4,

Protocol

This protocol follows the Malaysian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes outlined by the Laboratory Animal Science Association of Malaysia. The sacrifice of the experimental samples was done according to the National Institutes of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NIH Publications No. 8023, revised 1978). Sexually pre-mature female mud crabs (orange mud crab S. olivacea) were collected from the local market (5°66′62′′N, 102°72.......

Representative Results

Gonad maturation
Creamy white ovarian tissues (immature ovaries, stage-1) were found in 100% of the dissected females (n = 6) before performing the eyestalk ablation (Figure 2). The gonad maturation rate of the eyestalk-ablated female crabs (n = 63; 31 females with the cauterization technique and 32 females with the surgery technique) was higher compared to female crabs that were not subjected to eyestalk ablation (n = 31) after 30 days of individual rearing (

Discussion

This protocol was developed for the eyestalk ablation of the mud crab, Scylla spp., and can be applied as an efficient method to induce gonad maturation. This protocol can be easily replicated for the commercial ovary maturation of mud crabs and can be implemented to reduce the latent period (time from one spawning to another) in mud crab seed production.

The eyestalk ablation of crustaceans (i.e., freshwater prawn, marine shrimp) is typically done to induce gonad maturation and out-o.......

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Ministry of Education, Malaysia, under the Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE) program, Malaysia, accredited to the Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (Vot No. 63933 & Vot No. 56048). We acknowledge the support of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and Sayap Jaya Sdn. Bhd. via the Private Partnership Research Grant (Vot. No. 55377). An adjunct Academic Fellow position from Universiti Sains Malaysia to Khor Waiho and Hanafiah Fazhan is also acknowledged.

....

Materials

NameCompanyCatalog NumberComments
Aeration tube Ming Yu ThreeN/Aaquarium and pet shop
AirstoneMing Yu ThreeN/Aaquarium and pet shop
Autoclave machineHIRAYAMA MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONN/AMADE IN JAPAN
Bleaching powder (Hi-Chlon 70%)Nippon Soda Co.Ltd,JapanN/AN/A
Blow torch MR D.I.Y. Group BerhadN/AN/A
Circular tank (32L)BEST PLASTIC INDUSTRY SDN. BHD. N/AN/A
Cotton hand gloves (thick) MR D.I.Y. Group BerhadN/AN/A
Cotton towelMR D.I.Y. Group BerhadN/AN/A
Digital thermometerHanna InstrumentHI9814Hanna Instruments GroLine Hydroponics Waterproof pH / EC / TDS / Temp. Portable Meter HI9814
Digital Vernier CaliperINSIZE Co., Ltd.N/A
Dissecting trayHatcheri AKUATROP N/AResearch Center of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
Dropper bottle/Plastic Pipettes DropperShopee MalaysiaN/AN/A
Ethanol 70%Thermo Scientific Chemicals033361.M1Diluted to 70% using double distilled water
Fiberglass tank (1 ton)Hatcheri AKUATROP N/AResearch Center of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
Fine sandN/AN/Acollected from Sea beach of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
First Aid KitsWatsons MalaysiaN/AN/A
Flat head nickel steel metal rod (Screw driver)MR D.I.Y. Group BerhadN/AN/A
FormaldehydeThermo Scientific Chemicals119690010
Gas cylinder (butane gas) for blow  torchMR D.I.Y. Group BerhadN/AN/A
Gas lighter gun (long head)MR D.I.Y. Group BerhadN/AN/A
Glass beaker (100 mL))Corning Life Sciences1000-100
Ice bag Watsons MalaysiaN/AN/A
Perforated plastic baskets Eco-Shop Marketing Sdn. Bhd.N/AN/A
PVC pipe 15mmBina Plastic Industries Sdn Bhd (HQ)N/AN/A
RefractometerATAGO CO.,LTD.
RefrigeratorSharp Corporation JapanN/AChest Freezer SHARP 110L - SJC 118
Scoop netMR D.I.Y. Group BerhadN/A
SeawaterHatcheri AKUATROP N/AResearch Center of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
Siphoning pipeMR D.I.Y. Group BerhadN/AN/A
Spray bottleMr. DIY Sdn BhdN/AN/A
Stainless surgical forceps N/AN/AN/A
Stainless surgical scissors N/AN/AN/A
Submersible water pump ASN/Amodel: Astro 4000
Tincture of iodine solution  (Povidone Iodine)Farmasi Fajr Sdn BhdN/AN/A
Tissue paper N/AN/A
Transparent plastic aquariumMing Yu ThreeN/Aaquarium and pet shop
Waterproof tableHatcheri AKUATROP N/AResearch Center of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

References

  1. Keenan, C. P., Davie, P. J. F., Mann, D. L. A revision of the genus Scylla de Haan, 1833 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Portunidae). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 46 (1), 217-245 (1998).
  2. Fazhan, H., et al.

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