Heritability of juvenile growth traits in red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus L.)

Heritability of juvenile growth rate was estimated for red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), an economically important sciaenid fish in the southern USA. Thirty‐eight families were generated via ‘natural’ spawning of multiple sets of five breeders (three dams × two sires) in individual brood tanks. Offspring were individually tagged with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags and mixed for grow‐out in replicate ‘common‐garden’ tanks. Juvenile growth was followed from 166.4±18.6 to 254.0±27.0 mm (total length). Offspring were assigned a posteriori to individual brood fish (dam and sire) based on genotypes at nuclear‐encoded microsatellites. Heritability (h²) of a thermal growth coefficient was estimated using an animal‐additive model and a restricted maximum‐likelihood algorithm. Estimates of h² were 0.33±0.08 and 0.31±0.08 for thermal growth coefficient based on length and weight respectively. These results indicate a significant genetic component in juvenile growth rate in red drum. Estimates of h² for condition coefficient (K) at various measurement dates averaged 0.38, suggesting a genetic component to shape in juvenile red drum.     

A preliminary study on the effects of dietary supplementation of brewers yeast and nucleotides, singularly or in combination, on juvenile red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with brewers yeast (Brewtech^®) and nucleotides (Optimûn), either singularly or in combination, on red drum growth, body composition, stress responses and possible resistance to Amyloodinium ocellatum infection. Juvenile red drum (～1 g initially) fed practical fish‐meal‐based diets for 6 weeks had similar weight gain regardless of whether the diet was unsupplemented (basal) or supplemented with brewers yeast (2% of diet), nucleotides (Optimûn at 0.2% of diet) or both brewers yeast (2% of diet) and nucleotides (Optimûn at 0.2% of diet). Dietary effects on hepatosomatic index, intraperitoneal fat ratio or whole‐body composition were not significant, except that fish fed the singular nucleotide supplement had a significantly higher whole‐body lipid content compared with fish fed the basal diet. No significant dietary effects on cortisol response were observed after a 15 min confinement stress test perhaps because of the extreme variation among individual fish. Subsequently, in situ challenge by co‐habitation with A. ocellatum caused 100% mortality regardless of dietary treatment within a 48 h period. It is concluded that dietary supplementation of brewers yeast and nucleotides did not promote enhanced growth or improved cortisol response and resistance to uncontrolled amyloodiniosis in juvenile red drum, at least at the tested dosages.     

Sex differences in circulating steroid hormone levels in the red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus L.

Steroid profiles of cultured and captive red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus L.) were investigated to evaluate the potential use of circulating sex steroid levels as a tool for gender identification in this species. Cultured 18‐month‐old fish were maintained on a 120‐day shortened photothermal cycle to induce precocious maturation. Additionally, wild‐caught fish were maintained in captivity under simulated natural photothermal conditions from late spring to early fall. Circulating 11‐ketotestosterone (11‐KT) levels were significantly higher in males compared with females during the early stages of gonadal growth in both cultured and captive fish. Plasma testosterone (T) levels showed a similar trend; however, the differences were significant only when males were already producing sperm. 17β‐estradiol (E₂) concentrations were low in males and females before gonadal recrudescence but increased significantly with the progression of vitellogenesis in females. These results show that a test using a minimum concentration of circulating 11‐KT could be developed to differentiate between sexes in the early stages of gonadal maturation in red drum. Moreover, plasma E₂ concentrations could be used to identify vitellogenic females. The two steroids considered together could help avoid possible error in gender identification due to unusually high levels of certain steroids encountered in some individuals.     

Effects of dietary thyroid hormones on the red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)

Four separate 8-week feeding trials were conducted to assess the effects of supplementing semipurified diets with either triiodothyronine (T₃) or thyroxine (T₄) at 0, 2, 10, and 50 mg/kg on growth and body composition of juvenile red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) held in artificial brackish water (6‰) and artificial seawater (32‰). At both levels of salinity, increasing doses of T₃ resulted in fish with reduced weight gain, feed efficiency, condition factor (weight × 100/length³), and muscle ratio (muscle weight × 100/body weight), as well as a lighter body color. Significant (p < 0.05) effects of T₃ on the proximate composition of whole body, liver, and muscle were variable, generally reflecting decreased lipid and protein storage in liver and muscle, respectively. The two highest doses of T₃ given to seawater adapted fish increased survival. Dietary T₄ supplementation had no distinctive effects on appearance, growth or proximate body composition. These results indicate that whereas T₃ may function to regulate protein and lipid metabolism in red drum, dietary supplementation with T₃ leads to a hyperthyroidism-induced catabolic state. The elevated endogenous thyroid hormone levels found in fish fed optimal diets may thus adequately supply tissue needs during juvenile growth.     

Blood oxygen transport and hemoglobin function in three tropical fish species from northern Australian freshwater billabongs

The oxygen binding properties of whole blood and hemoglobin were studied in three phylogenetically distant tropical teleosts inhabiting freshwater billabongs that exhibit marked seasonal oxygen stratification. The water breathing saratoga (Scleropages jardinii, Family Osteoglossidae), derived from an ancient divergence of the stem line leading to all other extant teleosts, has a low blood oxygen carrying capacity, Bohr and Root effect, and a high blood oxygen affinity. Erythrocytes contain a single major hemoglobin component, and equimolar concentrations of ATP and GTP. The tarpon (Megalops cyprinoides, Family Megalopidae), a facultative air-breather, has the highest blood oxygen carrying capacity and Bohr effect, and a low blood oxygen affinity and Root effect. Erythrocytes contain a single major hemoglobin and ATP as a putative regulator of hemoglobin oxygen affinity. Barramundi (Lates calcarifer, Family Centropomidae), is an obligate water-breather with intermediate blood oxygen binding properties, and the smallest Root effect. Erythrocytes contain at least 7 hemoglobins, and equimolar concentrations of ATP and GTP. Functional properties of these three blood oxygen transport systems are considered in terms of the respiratory environment and demand for oxygen. Our interpretation supports the hypothesis that the process of speciation can lead to divergence in physiological mechanisms, irrespective of past or present selection pressures.     

The effects of hypoxia,in vivo,on red blood cell β-adrenoceptors in the rainbow trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss

Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, were exposed to 48h of environmental hypoxia (water partial pressure of oxygen = 8.0 kPa) at either 5 or 15°C. Blood was sampled during hypoxia via a dorsal aorta cannula to measure arterial blood partial pressure of oxygen and plasma catecholamine concentrations. After 48h, the number (B_max) and dissociation constant (K_d) of red blood cell surface -adrenoceptors were determined using a radioligand-displacement binding assay. At 5°C, plasma catecholamine levels were elevated at 24h whereas at 15°C, levels were elevated at 48h. At either temperature, following 48h of hypoxia, there was no change in B_max or K_d of red blood cell surface -adrenoceptors, compared to normoxic control fish. This study demonstrates that chronic exposure to moderate hypoxia does not affect the number or affinity of cell surface -adrenoceptors on trout red blood cells.     

公路对天山马鹿（Cervus elaphus songaricus）种内遗传分化的影响

为研究公路对大型哺乳动物造成的影响,分别采集新疆省道110、203、303公路两侧的天山马鹿粪便样本,采用5个微卫星位点进行个体识别后利用Arlequin3．11进行遗传距离、基因多样性、杂合度等测定分析。结果表明：5个微卫星均具有很好的多态性,5地区中松树塘与寒气沟、白石头马鹿的遗传距离最远,松树塘马鹿的基因杂合度、基因型数量均最低;小西沟与白杨沟马鹿之间遗传距离为负值,其基因杂合度、基因型无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。说明公路对栖息地的分割状态不同,会导致种群的遗传情况改变。当公路仅深入栖息地没有将栖息地割裂时,公路两旁种群无差异;当栖息地被公路完全隔绝,则该栖息地内动物的基因杂合度、基因型数量降低;使用中的公路对临近种群的隔绝效果强于废弃旧公路。     

饲料中添加虾青素对红罗非鱼各组织类胡萝卜素含量和沉积率的影响

通过在饲料中添加不同含量虾青素,测定粉白、红斑、黑斑3种体色红罗非鱼各组织(皮肤、鳍、肌肉、眼球、鳃)类胡萝卜素含量的变化,分析不同虾青素含量对红罗非鱼不同组织类胡萝卜素含量的影响,从而推断类胡萝卜素在不同组织间的表达和沉积方式。结果显示,虾青素添加量为400 mg/kg时,红罗非鱼皮肤、鳍、肌肉、眼球和鳃中的类胡萝卜素含量与对照组相比均明显提高,体色明显改善,其中黑斑红罗非鱼鳃部类胡萝卜素沉积比对照组有显著提高(P0.05)。而当虾青素添加量为800 mg/kg时,粉白红罗非鱼鳍上和鳃部及黑斑红罗非鱼鳃部类胡萝卜素沉积比对照组有显著提高(P0.05),但3种体色红罗非鱼一些组织器官类胡萝卜素含量相对对照组及虾青素添加量为400 mg/kg时有所下降,红罗非鱼体色变化不明显。虾青素含量对红罗非鱼各组织类胡萝卜素总含量有显著影响(P0.01);而红罗非鱼体色对类胡萝卜素总含量影响不显著(P0.05);虾青素和体色交互作用对类胡萝卜素含量有较显著影响(P0.05)。聚类分析表明,类胡萝卜素在红罗非鱼的鳍中沉积率最高,其次为鳃,再次为眼球,皮肤和肌肉沉积率最低。