New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
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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