New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Effect of physical disturbance on reproductive performance in the spiny lobster, Jasus edwardsii

Greg G. Smith
Arthur J. Ritar

Marine Research Laboratories
University of Tasmania
Nubeena Crescent, Taroona
TAS 7053, Australia
email: ggsmith@utas.edu.au

Abstract  A study was conducted to examine the effects of physical disturbance on Jasus edwardsii spiny lobster broodstock during ovarian recrudescence through to larval hatch. Undisturbed broodstock were held in relative isolation and subjected to minimal human disturbance, which contrasted with weekly air exposure and handling of the disturbed animals. Broodstock behavioural response, phyllosoma number, competency, and survival in culture were examined. A higher proportion of broodstock from the undisturbed treatment were active during daylight hours compared with those in the disturbed treatment. All ovigerous females in the undisturbed group produced phyllosoma larvae compared with 72.7% of animals in the disturbed treatment. Individual undisturbed females produced greater numbers of phyllosoma larvae, which in turn performed better in larval competency tests, were larger at hatch, and survived better in culture than those from disturbed females. This study demonstrated that physical disturbance altered reproductive performance and larval competency of J. edwardsii. Protocols are suggested to minimise disturbance associated with handling in crustacean broodstock.

Keywords  Jasus edwardsii; spiny lobster; disturbance; fecundity; larval competency; reproduction

M04059; Online publication date 31 May 2005 Received 22 March 2004; accepted 25 November 2004
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2005, Vol. 39: 317-324
0028-8330/05/3902-0317 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005

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