Ontogeny of osmoregulation in the European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax L.

 Under natural conditions, sea bass eggs hatch in the open sea and young-of-the-year sea bass are found close to estuaries and enter brackish and even freshwater lagoons in the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic. The ontogeny of osmoregulation in the European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758), was studied in different developmental stages, from hatching to large juveniles, exposed to a range of salinities at 17 °C. The experiments were carried out from March to August 1998 in southern France. The type of hyper-hypo-osmotic regulation did not change during development. All stages hyper-regulated at low salinity (under 10–11‰) and hypo-regulated at higher salinities. The acquisition of the full ability to hypo-regulate occurred in four steps. Osmoregulatory capacity was size- and age-dependent and reached its maximum for fish 17–26 mm long, 63–86 days after hatching. The iso-osmotic salinity was 10.2–11.6‰. Our results suggest that early development of osmoregulatory ability, and thus of salinity tolerance in sea bass, may provide an advantageous flexibility for the timing of migration towards low-salinity habitats. Received: 22 May 2000 / Accepted: 18 December 2000     

Growth,food utilization and effect of social interaction in the European bass Dicentrarchus labrax

Fingerling and juvenile bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L.) fed on filleted saithe, Gadus virens, exhibited much higher K ₁ energy and nitrogen utilization efficiencies (growth as % energy or nitrogen intake) than those fed on trout pellets or shore crabs, Carcinus maenas, although the efficiency declined during prolonged feeding. Mean organic absorption efficiency for saithe was 99.5% and was independent of food intake but the efficiency for pellets and crab declined with increasing food intake from 99 to 92%. For each diet the regression of relative growth rate on food intake was linear up to the regression of relative growth rate on food intake was linear up to the highest feeding level and independent of body weight, enabling construction of a simple model for food transformation. The regression coefficient (equivalent to K ₃, the ratio of growth to food consumed in excess of maintenance) for saithe was about 3 times that for pellets in terms of energy and twice that for pellets in terms of nitrogen. The more efficient utilization of saithe for growth and of pellets for maintenance were related to differences in their nutritional value. With each diet, K ₃ and maximum K ₁ for energy were about twice those for nitrogen. Social interaction had a significant effect on food utilization in juvenile bass. Isolated fish showed poor growth and mean K ₁ efficiency in comparison with bass in pairs or groups. K ₃ efficiency and mainternance requirement were similar in individuals and groups, but were significantly greater in pairs. These results are related to behavioural observeations and environmental stress, and the limitations of extrapolating the results of laboratory feeding experiments on fish to other situations is discussed.     

Locomotor kinematics and behaviour in the escape response of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax L., exposed to hypoxia

To assess the effect of oxygen reduction on the escape response of sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, an integrative experimental approach was employed. The effect of hypoxia was tested on locomotor variables, i.e. cumulative distance (D), maximum swimming speed (V _max) and maximum acceleration (A _max). Behavioural variables, such as responsiveness (i.e. the proportion of individuals responding out of the total number of fish tested), response latency (i.e. the time interval between stimulus onset and the first detectable movement leading to the escape of the animal) and directionality (i.e. the proportion of escape responses in which the first detectable movement of the head was oriented away or towards the stimulus at its onset) were also considered. Four levels of oxygen were used: >85% (i.e. normoxia, the control treatment), 50, 20 and 10% of air saturation. Sea bass responsiveness decreased significantly at 10% of air saturation, while hypoxia did not have any effect on the response latency. At the onset of the escape response, the proportion of away/towards responses was random when oxygen was ≤50% of air saturation, suggesting an impairment of the left–right discrimination. Whatever the level of hypoxia, none of the locomotor variables (i.e. D, V _max and A _max) was significantly different from normoxia. Our study suggests that hypoxia may reduce sea bass elusiveness facing a predator by directly affecting its escape behaviour, possibly related to an impairment of the mechano-sensory performance and/or in the Mauthner cells involved in triggering the escape response.     

Genetic structure and allozyme variation of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax and D. punctatus) in the Mediterranean Sea

This paper reports data on 28 allozyme loci in wild and artificially reared sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) samples, originating from either coastal lagoon or marine sites in the Mediterranean Sea. F _ST analysis (θ estimator) indicated strong genetic structuring among populations; around 34% of the overall genetic variation is due to interpopulation variation. Pairwise θ estimates showed that, on average, the degree of genetic structuring was much higher between marine populations than between samples from lagoons. Six polymorphic loci showed differences in allele frequencies between marine and lagoon samples. Multivariate analyses of individual allozymic profiles and of allele frequencies suggested that different arrays of genotypes prevail in lagoons compared to marine samples, particularly at those loci that, on the basis of previous acclimation experiments, had been implicated in adaptation to freshwater. On the other hand, variation at “neutral” allozyme loci reflects to a greater extent the geographic location of populations. Allozyme differentiation was also studied in a D. labrax population from the Portuguese coast. Average genetic distance between this population and the Mediterranean populations was quite high (Nei's D = 0.236) and calls into question the taxonomic status of the Portuguese population. Finally, genetic relationships between D. labrax and D. punctatus were evaluated. Average Nei's D was 0.648, revealing high genetic differentiation between the two species, even for two sympatric populations of these species in Egypt; thus gene flow was not indicated between species. Received: 24 October 1996 / Accepted: 27 November 1996     

Utilization of yolk reserves during post-embryonic development in three teleostean species: the sea bream Sparus aurata,the sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax,and the pike-perch Stizostedion lucioperca

A comparative study of the use of yolk reserves during post-embryonic development was performed on three teleostean fishes of aquacultural interest: the sea bream Sparus aurata, the sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax, and the pike-perch Stizostedion lucioperca. The first part of the work was devoted to the structural development of the periblast, the vitellus and the oil globule during the endotrophic and endo-exotrophic phases of larval life. Observations using transmission electron microscopy revealed a perivitelline circulation system closely related to the liver, and suggested an important function of the periblast in the utilization of reserves. In the second part of the study, cytochemical reactions revealed the way in which the reserves are resorbed. Glycogen contained in the periblast at hatching was utilized during the endotrophic period. The successive appearance of lipoprotein particles in the periblast endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and perivetelline circulation zone is consistent with the mobilization of yolk and oil globule components. Comparison of fed and fasting individuals revealed that fasting tended to slow down rather than increase the utilization of reserves.     

Effects of diet on fatty acid composition of body zones in larvae of the sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax: a chemometric study

Larvae of the sea bass Dicentrachus labrax were fed four Artemia sp. diets for 28 d. Three were nauplii enriched with emulsions of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the fourth nauplii enriched with baker's yeast. At the end of the experimental period, the fatty acids of the bodies, heads and eyes of the larvae were analysed. A multivariate statistical method (discriminant analysis, DA) applied to the data revealed anatomical as well as dietary fatty acid pattern-discrimination. We propose here the use of discriminant analysis as a pattern-recognition method that will help to integrate the fatty acid information obtained in nutritional studies.     

Increased docosahexaenoic acid levels in total and polar lipid of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) postlarvae fed vegetable or animal phospholipids

A 6-week feeding trial was conducted with 44-d-old European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) in order to examine the effect of various dietary phospholipid (PL) sources on the incorporation of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) in tissue lipids. From weaning onwards the fish received diets prepared by coating different lipid fractions (7.5% diet) on an extruded basal diet (92.5% diet). The two PL-free control diets contained 0.5 and 2% of an emulsifier blend, respectively. Seven other diets contained 2% PL, differing by their purity and origin (vegetable or animal). All diets were rendered isolipidic by the addition of hydrogenated coconut oil. Feeding the PL-supplemented diets, except the diet containing hydrolyzed soybean PL (lyso PL), resulted in a higher survival and a 10 to 30% better growth as compared to the PL-free diets. No difference according to the PL origin was observed. The sea bass final lipid content increased with increasing body weight. Also the lipid class composition of the fish was clearly correlated with the final weight gain. Total neutral lipid increased from 51% of total lipid (initial fish) to 76% for fish fed the PL-free diets, and up to 88% for fish fed the sunflower PL. Weaning the fish on the experimental diets induced important changes in their fatty acid profiles characterized by a decrease in 18:3n-3, 20:5n-3 and 20:4n-6 and an increase in saturated fatty acids and 22:6n-3 (DHA). According to the fatty acid composition of both total and polar lipid, the weaned fish could be divided into three groups reflecting the dietary fatty acids: a group fed the vegetable PL, a group fed the animal PL and a PL-deprived group. An effect of dietary PL on the incorporation of dietary n-3 HUFA, more particularly DHA, was noticed. For a similar supply of DHA through the neutral lipids in the diet, fish fed PL-supplemented diets (except for the lyso PL diet) had 10 to 25% higher DHA levels in total and polar lipid than PL-deprived fish. This PL effect was already clear at the end of the weaning and was not related to the presence of n-3 HUFA in the PL source, as suspected in a previous study when feeding egg yolk PL. A better incorporation of DHA was not obtained by replacing the PL by an emulsifier or by lyso PL with higher emulsifying properties. Present results confirm a role of dietary PL in the absorption of dietary neutral lipids, by a mechanism other than emulsification. Received: 27 May 1997 / Accepted: 30 June 1997     

Effects of experimental feeding and starvation on the proximate composition of the European bass Dicentrarchus labrax

Juvenile bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L.), fed ad libitum on trout pellets, the shore crab Carcinus maenas and filleted saithe, Gadus virens, did not differ significantly in proximate composition although the diets were absorbed with high efficiencies of 94 to 99% and differed greatly in composition. Compared with wild fish, the white muscle, dark muscle, liver and mesenteric fat bodies of laboratory-reared bass were lower in moisture and higher in lipid. Starvation caused a rapid initial decrease in carbohydrate and a progressive decline in lipid in all tissues, coupled with an increase in moisture and ash contents. The liver and fat body somatic indices also declined, indicating that these organs are the major lipid storage depots in bass, in contrast with the skeletal muscle which has this role in other active fishes such as salmonids and clupeids. Lipid and protein are inversely related to moisture content in whole specimens.     

Element levels in cultured and wild sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) from the Adriatic Sea and potential risk assessment

In this study, the role of aquaculture activity as a source of selected metals was analyzed. Significant differences in element content between cultured (Dicentrarchus labrax, Sparus aurata) and wild fishes as well as between fish muscle and their feed were detected. Higher concentrations of trace elements (i.e., As, Cu, Hg, Se) in wild fish tissues in comparison with cultured ones indicate additional sources of metals beside fish feed as natural and/or anthropogenic sources. Generally, mean Cd, Cu, Pb, Se, and Zn concentrations in cultured (0.016, 1.79, 0.14, 0.87, and 34.32 μg/g, respectively) and wild (0.011, 1.97, 0.10, 1.78, and 23,54 μg/g, respectively) fish samples were below the permissible levels, while mean As (2.57 μg/g in cultured, 4.77 μg/g in wild) and Cr (5.25 μg/g in cultured, 2.92 μg/g in wild) values exceeded those limits. Hg values were lower in cultured (0.17 μg/g) and higher in wild (1.04 μg/g) fish specimens. The highest elemental concentrations were observed in almost all fish samples from Kor?ula sampling site. The smallest cultured sea basses showed As (4.01 μg/g), Cr (49.10 μg/g), Pb (0.65 μg/g), and Zn (136 μg/g) concentrations above the recommended limits; however, values decreased as fish size increased. Therefore, the majority of metal concentrations in commercial fishes showed no problems for human consumption. Also calculated Se:Hg molar ratios (all >1) and selenium health benefit values (Se-HBVs) (all positive) showed that consumption of all observed fishes in human nutrition is not risk.     

An experimental and theoretical analysis of the effect of added weight on the energetics and hydrostatic function of the swimbladder of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

We conducted experiments to determine the effect of the increasing ultrasonic/radio transmitter weight on the routine metabolic rate of sea bass. We measured the oxygen consumption (MO₂) of fish tagged externally with a dummy transmitter made of a hollow pipe, the weight of which was adjusted with lead to represent in water 0, 1 and 4% (R_tf) of the animal weight. We then developed a theoretical model to estimate, for a given fish size, the range of added weight that fish can compensate for through swimbladder regulation. When R_tfБ%, MO₂ of untagged and tagged fish did not differ significantly. However, when R_tf reached 4%, fish that carried a tag incurred a significant elevation of oxygen consumption, which represented 28% of their total useable power (or metabolic scope). This result strongly supports the view that a high R_tf ratio contributes to a decrease in available metabolic energy by diverting energy from, e.g., growth or swimming performance. A comparison between the tagged fish and the theoretical model reinforced the hypothesis that, when R_tf attained 4%, the increase in metabolic rate reflected a supplementary and costly swimming effort necessary to maintain vertical position. In this condition, the swimbladder cannot regulate the buoyancy of tagged fish.     

Growth and content of energy reserves in juvenile sea scallops,Placopecten magellanicus,as a function of swimming frequency and water temperature in the laboratory

The effects of swimming frequency and water temperature on shell growth, tissue mass, and stored energy reserves of juvenile sea scallops, Placopecten magellanicus Gmelin, were examined in a factorial laboratory experiment spanning six weeks in July and August 1992. Individually tagged scallops of similar initial size (22.5±0.1 mm shell height, n=240) were induced to swim to exhaustion at three different swimming frequencies (every day, twice a week, or not at all) in two different water temperature regimes (4 to 7 or 7 to 13°C). The scallops were fed an ad libitum mixture of cultured microalgae. At the end of the experiment, cumulative increase in shell height, dry weight of soft tissues, condition index of dry adductor muscle (adductor muscle dry weight/soft tissue dry weight x 100) and total carbohydrate content of dry adductor muscle were measured for each scallop. Scallops at the higher temperature had significantly greater shell heights, and were in better metabolic condition as evidenced by significantly higher condition indices and muscle carbohydrate contents. The dry soft tissue weights did not differ significantly from their low temperature counterparts. Swimming frequency had no significant effect on shell height, dry tissue weight, or carbohydrate content, but condition index of the adductor muscle increased significantly with swimming frequency. These results show that not only was there no cumulative cost of swimming in terms of shell growth, total soft tissue weight, or carbohydrate content in young scallops, but that condition of adductor muscle tissue was higher in scallops that swam.     

Survival of communally reared larval and juvenile lobsters,Homarus americanus

Survival of individually reared larval and juvenile stage lobsters, Homarus americanus (Milne-Edwards), was significantly higher than in corresponding groups of communally reared individuals. Among communally reared lobsters, the mortality rate was highest in the second-stage larvae and then progressively decreased in the later stages. The relationship between survival and duration of molt period of each life-cycle stage indicates that asynchronous molting in the groups of communally reared lobsters is a contributing factor to the higher mortality rate. The molting and mortality curves of communally held lobsters reared from the first larval to first or second juvenile stage showed best cross correlation at 0- or 1-day time lag. The decreased mortality rate observed in the later larval and juvenile stages appears to have resulted from the establishment of new behavior patterns. Group interactions which are influenced by numerous extrinsic and intrinsic factors lead to higher mortality rate (cannibalism) among communally reared lobsters.     

Effects of nutrition and temperature on metabolic enzyme activities in larval and juvenile red drum,Sciaenops ocellatus,and lane snapper,Lutjanus synagris

The metabolic enzyme activities were determined in larvae of red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, and lane snapper, Lutjanus synagris, to determine the effect of temperature and nutrition on metabolic enzyme activities and to evaluate if metabolic enzyme activities are useful in assessing the feeding condition of larval fish. During experiments conducted during the spring of 1990, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities in both red drum and lane snapper were approximately an order of magnitude lower than values typical for adult fish; LDH and citrate synthase (CS) activities increased during early developmental stages, but nutritional effects were apparent. Clear differences (up to 4-fold) between well-fed and starving fish were evident in both LDH and CS activity in red drum. Differences between well-fed and poorly fed larvae were evident until 9 d after hatching. Lane snapper larvae reared at a 25°C had significantly lower LDH activities than larvae reared at 28°C.     

西域旌节花在不同环境下生长发育及某些生物学现象

观察和调查了西域旌节花Stachyurus himalaicus在不同环境下的生长发育和开花结果状况,并对某些生物学现象作初步探讨,发现不同环境下的西域旌节花从腋芽的出现到枝叶的生长以及开花结果等在时间的先后和过程的长短上有所不同,植株在秋冬季落叶与否很大程度上取决于植株本身的高矮和大小以当地的荫蔽条件和水分状况等。西域旌节花表面上为两性花,实质为假两性花,对于某一具体植株来说,要么雌蕊能育,要么雄能育,但不可能两者兼之。尽管每一棵植株都有雌蕊和雄蕊。当雌蕊能育时,雄蕊却不育（无花粉）;当雄蕊能育（有花粉）时,雌蕊则不育,花开过之后整个脱落,不同环境下植株结果的比例也不同,差异较大,西域旌节花的落果情况非常严重,原因有待于进一步的观察和实验,图版1表1参8。     

Nucleic acids and growth of larval and early juvenile spider crab,Hyas araneus

The spider crabHyas araneus (L.) was collected from the North Sea in winter 1986–1987 and reared in the laboratory from hatching of the Zoea I (ZI) through the first juvenile instar (CI). Within a given moult cycle, individuals of the same age were sampled in intervals of 2 (ZI, ZII, CI) or 3 d (megalopa) for analysis of dry weight (W), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), hydrogen (H), protein, DNA, and RNA. Lipid was calculated from C. Biomass, growth rate and nucleic acid contents showed high variability during each moult cycle and between instars. Instantaneous growth rates of C were high in postmoult and intermoult, and low in the premoult period of each moult cycle. A shift was observed from high rates of lipid accumulation in the postmoult and intermoult stages to proportionally increasing protein accumulation during late premoult (ZI), or throughout a major part of the remaining moult cycle (in all other instars). DNA was accumulated throughout the ZI and ZII instars, but decreased in late premoult megalopa. It increased again from late intermoult through intermediate premoult in juveniles. RNA increased continuously during ZI and ZII, and decreased in the megalopa, almost to levels that had been found immediately after hatching. In juveniles, variation in RNA followed closely those in DNA. Cell multiplication (expressed by DNA increase) dominated over increase in cell size (defined by the C/DNA ratio) during the zoeal instars and in postmoult through early intermoult in the megalopa and CI. When specific (C-related) RNA values and RNA/DNA ratios were compared with instantaneous growth rates in C and N, no general correspondence was detected. The only significant relationship between specific RNA values and instantaneous C or N growth rates was found in the megalopa. The same held for the relationship between the RNA/DNA ratio and growth. Here, in addition to the megalopa, a correspondence with C growth was also found in the CI instar. Our results suggest that variation in nucleic acids may provide useful insights into mechanisms of growth on the cellular level (cell multiplication vs cell enlargement). However, lack of general correlation with variation in growth rates ofH. araneus larvae shows that the use of nucleic acids as a measure of growth is probably based upon too simplistic assumptions; it may not yield reliable predictions, when growth is associated with developmental events.     

Pre-migratory life history stages of juvenile Arctic birds: costs, constraints, and trade-offs

Many young birds on the Arctic tundra are confronted by a challenging task: they must molt their feathers and accumulate fat stores for the autumn migration before climatic conditions deteriorate. Our understanding of the costs and constraints associated with these stages is extremely limited. We investigated post-juvenal molt and premigratory fattening in free-ranging juvenile White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) on the Arctic tundra. We found evidence for trade-offs between premigratory fat accumulation and molt: heavily molting birds had significantly less fat. Birds increased the rate of fat accumulation as the season progressed, but we found no evidence of a similar increase in rate of molt. Using a controlled captive study to isolate the energetic costs of body feather replacement, we found no difference in fat or size-corrected mass of birds actively growing body feathers as compared to controls. Molting birds, however, consumed 17% more food than controls, suggesting a significant cost of body feather growth. Our results provide evidence of significant costs, constraints, and trade-offs associated with post-juvenal molt and premigratory fat accumulation in young Arctic birds.     

Natural parthenogenesis,larval and juvenile development,and geographical distribution of the coral reef asteroid Ophidiaster granifer

Ophidiaster granifer Lütken is a small cryptic coral reef asteroid found in the Indo-West Pacific. Its mode of reproduction, shown by aquarium observations and gonad histology, is parthenogenetic. This is the first confirmation of natural parthenogenesis in the phylum Echinodermata, despite many studies showing artificial parthenogenesis in echinoderms. Populations of O. granifer from Micronesia, New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef consisted only of females: no testes or spermatogenesis were found in any individual at any stage of gonad development of ca 400 individuals. Regular year-round population censuses at Guam, Micronesia, revealed a distinct 0-year class which grew to sexual maturity in two years. There was an annual reproductive cycle with apparently-synchronous spawning in early winter. The large eggs, ca 0.6 mm diameter, develop into lecithotrophic larvae. Some larvae are planktonic, while some remain attached under the rocks. The latter develop through metamorphosis in situ. Parthenogenetic reproduction leading to both stationary and dispersed larvae may be related to the low fecundity and low population densities of this small asteroid.