Reproductive biology and biochemical changes in female mantis shrimp Oratosquilla oratoria (Stomatopoda) with ovary development from the Tianjin coastal zone of Bohai Bay

• Published in: Aquaculture Vol. 534; p. 736239
• Main Authors: Bo, Qi-Kang, Lu, Yun-Zhao, Ma, Chao, Mi, Hui-Jing, Jia, Lei, Meng, Yi-Geng, Yu, Yan-Guang, Geng, Xu-Yun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.03.2021
• Subjects: Biochemical changes; Broodstock; Feeding intensity; Oratosquilla oratoria; Reproductive biology; Broodstock; Oratosquilla oratoria; Feeding intensity; Reproductive biology; Biochemical changes
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.736239

Overexploitation and preliminary artificial breeding have led to an increasing interest in studying the reproductive biology and biochemical changes during gonad development in Oratosquilla oratoria. In this study, we established an accurate one-to-one correspondence between physical (and ovarian) morphology and ovarian histology during different maturity stages and improved the understanding of trophic dynamics with the progress of maturation, which will aid the aquaculture and artificial breeding techniques for this commercially important species. Based on ovarian histology and morphology, the ovaries were differentiated into six developmental stages, with five changes in color: immature stage (black), previtellogenesis (black), primary vitellogenesis (faint yellow), secondary vitellogenesis (golden yellow), maturation (light orange) and spent stage (brownish yellow). The visible colors of the median triangular structure of the telson can be used as an external morphological indicator of ovarian development status, and indicates that the females are near-ripe broods stocks when median triangular structure is almost filled with yellow. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) showed a statistically significant inverse correlation with the hepatopancreatic index (HPI) and muscle-somatic index (MSI). GSI significantly increased until stage III and HPI significantly decreased at stage II and recovered slowly thereafter. Nevertheless the MSI increased during the first two stages and decreased thereafter. A continuous decline in feeding intensity of females with ovarian development was found. The protein level in the muscle and hepatopancreas increased with protein accumulation in the ovary. Ovarian lipid concentration continued to increase, while, as in the hepatopancreas and muscle, lipid content decreased significantly at stage II and then recovered rapidly, followed by a sharp decline. Glycogen concentrations in the ovary kept steady, while in the hepatopancreas and muscle, there was a downward trend after a rise to the highest value. In conclusion, the energy for supporting ovarian development inevitably relies on energy reserves in the hepatopancreas and muscle and attention should be given to how to promote the transfer of organic reserves and energy to the ovaries during stock culture. •An accurate one-to-one correspondence between physical (and ovarian) morphology was established.•The visible colors of the median triangular structure of the telson can be used as an external morphological indicator of ovarian development status and the females are near ripe when median triangular structure is almost filled with yellow.•The gonadosomatic index (GSI) showed a statistically significant inverse correlation with the hepatopancreatic index (HPI) and muscle-somatic index (MSI).•A continuous decline in feeding intensity of females with ovarian development was found.•The energy for supporting ovarian development inevitably relies on energy reserves in the hepatopancreas and muscle.