First results of embryonic development,spawning and larval rearing of the Mediterranean spider crab Maja squinado (Herbst ) under laboratory conditions,a candidate species for a restocking program

The Mediterranean spider crab, Maja squinado, is depleted due to overfishing. The crab has virtually disappeared from areas where it was abundant, such as the Balearic Islands and the Catalan coast. Maja squinado, is economically and ecologically very valuable, and it is essential to obtain information on its biology and rearing conditions to attempt to repopulate the damaged stocks of the species in the Mediterranean basin. Herein, we describe the first successful rearing of M. squinado under laboratory conditions. Our results show that M. squinado is an excellent candidate for restocking using cultured juveniles. Two consecutive broods with a 1–4 day interbrood period were observed in the laboratory in wild‐caught females, the maximum observed duration of embryonic development of the egg mass being 32 days at 18.4 ± 0.9°C, and went through four different stages. The complete larval and first juvenile development was studied in laboratory cultures fed enriched Artemia metanauplius. At 19.6 ± 0.6°C, development from hatching to first crab moult took 17 days, and it comprised two zoeae stages and one megalopa stage. The survival rate at the different stages was monitored, and 7.13 ± 2.3% was achieved at the first crab instar.     

Effect of the Cooking Process on the Gelling Properties of Whole and Minced Jumbo Lump of Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus)

Commercially, crab meat is obtained by hand-picking after a cooking process, followed by pasteurizing or canning. Jumbo lump is one of the pieces of meat obtained from the blue crab. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the commercial cooking process (boiling and steaming) on the mechanical and functional properties of whole jumbo lump and the gels obtained from cooked and minced jumbo lump from blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). The gels were prepared combining the washing process and microbial transglutaminase. The boiling and steaming processes showed a different effect on the textural and color properties. Whole jumbo lump pieces cooked by immersion in boiling water showed a higher hardness value as compared to steamed jumbo lump pieces, suggesting a different internal structural. The cooking processes used in this study did not modify the water holding capacity, gelling capability, or color of the minced jumbo lump. The addition of microbial transglutaminase to washed minced jumbo lump improved the hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness of gels elaborated with boiled or steamed jumbo lump, which allowed the textural properties similar to those of the whole jumbo lump.     

Effects of density and structure on production in the communal forests of the Mexican Sierra Madre Occidental

The Sierra Madre Occidental in the Mexican State of Durango, is home to about 5 million ha of species-rich forest ecosystems. Local communities depend on these forests for their livelihood. The preservation of the species richness and productivity of this unique resource requires improved understanding of the effects of forest structure and density on production. The community structure was analysed for three species groups (all species; 12 species of Pinus; and 16 species of Quercus). Based on data gathered in 580 remeasured observational field plots, the main results of this study were as follows: (1) two distinct clusters were identified in each species group, (a) the dominant species with a smaller range of growth rates, and (b) the remaining species which have a smaller maximum size and a greater variation of growth rates. (2) Density (expressed as basal area per hectare) and the percentage contribution to the total basal area of all pine species have a significant effect on forest production (expressed as volume increment per hectare per year). (3) Potential production is surprisingly high (in excess of 20 m³ ha^?1 y^?1 for some stands) in these forests, but the high potential cannot be realised in many areas because of reduced basal areas caused by overharvesting. (4) The available evidence does not confirm the findings of a recent study that suggests a continuous increase in production with increasing richness. Our observations show that production attains a potential maximum at intermediate levels of richness (between 7 and 9 species per 0.25 ha) and declines with further increases in species richness. This study represents a comprehensive analysis of the effects of density and structure on the community forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental based on a large set of permanent field plots where all trees have been mapped.     

Is risk consistent across tier‐based harvest control rule management systems? A comparison of four case‐studies

There can be substantial differences in data quality and quantity among fished species. Consequently, the quality and type of assessments can also vary substantially. However, all species, especially those that are targeted, need to be managed. Several jurisdictions have developed hierarchical tier systems that categorize stocks based on, for example, the data available for assessment purposes and/or the extent to which quantities on which management advice is based can be estimated. Four case‐studies (Australia's Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery, the USA west coast groundfishery, the USA Alaskan crab fishery and EU fisheries) are used to contrast the types of hierarchical tier systems available, and to assess the extent to which each system constrains risk to be equivalent among the tiers (termed risk equivalency). Only the Australian system explicitly aims to achieve risk equivalency. However, this intent has not been fully operationalized. Our review reveals that best practice is not to define tiers simply on data availability, but also on what the assessments based on those data are capable of estimating. In addition, clearly differentiating the quantification of uncertainty from how decision‐makers wish to address that uncertainty would simplify justification of buffers (the gap between the assessment‐produced target catch or effort and the final management decision that accounts for uncertainty and risk). Risk equivalency can be achieved using management strategy evaluation to select the values for control variables, which determine the buffer given the uncertainty associated with the assessment.     

Decapsulated Artemia Cysts: A Suitable Dietary Supplement for Juvenile Tench (Tinca tinca L.)

There are no specifically formulated dry foods for tench (Tinca tinca L.), which forces farmers to use diets formulated for other fish species. This has major drawbacks, such as high mortality, slow growth, and body deformities. A 120 day experiment was performed with five-month-old juvenile tench (initial mean weight: 0.388 g; total length: 31.78 mm) to evaluate decapsulated Artemia cysts as a supplement to a dry diet for other fish species. Three treatments, differing in the daily supplement, were tested: 1,800 freshly hatched nauplii, 1,800 cysts, and 300 cysts per g of tench biomass. Final survival ranged between 95.3% and 97.9%. Juvenile tench that received the supplement of 1,800 decapsulated Artemia cysts had a specific growth rate (1.28), weight (1.83 g), and total length (52.30 mm) significantly higher than those with the same amount of nauplii. The lowest supplement (300 cysts/g of fish biomass) allowed significantly lower growth and higher condition coefficient (1.40) than the rest. Animals with body deformities (1.06%) were only recorded in the groups that received the lowest cyst supplement. Results showed Artemia cysts are a suitable dietary supplement for juvenile tench, being an advantageous alternative to live nauplii.     

Homeopathic complex increases survival without affecting the performance of Nile tilapia during masculinization

During the masculinization of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, the effect of a homeopathic complex (containing Chamomilla, Quina, and sulphur) was evaluated based on survival, performance, gills and liver integrity, and parasitism. Group fed with basal diet + 17 alpha-methyltestosterone (control) showed low survival (40.02%), while the group that additionally received homeopathy and the group that received sucrose (vehicle) showed 73.7% and 87.7% survival, respectively. The growth performance of the group that received homeopathic and the control group was significantly higher than that of the group that received only sucrose. Still, fish that received the homeopathic complex showed higher branchial and hepatic integrity as compared to the other groups. The homeopathic complex contributes to a greater survival of fish in addition to maintaining satisfactory growth. Furthermore, homeopathy contributes to the improvement in gill and liver integrity of the Nile tilapia larvae.     

Cellular activity and development of enteric,hepatic and muscle tissues of juvenile pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg 1887) fed with lyophilized bovine colostrum

Bovine colostrum, an alternative food of animal origin provided as partial protein source, may constitute an innovative ingredient in fish feeding. Serum insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) and cellular activity of enteric, hepatic and muscle tissues of juvenile pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus fed with lyophilized bovine colostrum (LBC) were evaluated. Pacu (8.46 ± 0.74 g; 7.75 ± 0.27 cm, n = 18 in triplicate) were stocked into 18 tanks (300 L; 18 fish per tank, in triplicate) and fed with control diet containing 0% of LBC or experimental diet containing 10% and 20% of LBC inclusion for either 30 or 60 days of experiment. IGF‐1 serum concentration was not affected (P > 0.05) by the diet containing LBC and experimental period. The intestinal and hepatic cellular activity was not influenced by LBC (P > 0.05); however, intestine protein/RNA decreased at 60 days (P < 0.05). The muscle cellular activity was affected by LBC, highest in fish fed with diet containing 10% of LBC (P < 0.05). Between the periods DNA and protein/RNA increased at 60 days, while RNA, protein/DNA and RNA/DNA ratio decreased in this same period (P < 0.05). Increased DNA muscle content indicates fish growth by hyperplasia. The results of the present study is related with suitable development of enteric, hepatic and muscle tissues and proper condition of juvenile pacu fed with LBC considering the absence of differences in relation to juveniles that consumed diet without colostrum.     

Haematologic and immunologic parameters of bullfrogs,Lithobates catesbeianus,fed probiotics

The effects of two probiotics (P₁–Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Enterococcus faecium and P₂–Bacillus subtilis) supplemented to commercial feed (40% crude protein) on the haematological and immunological parameters of the bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus were studied. Two doses of each probiotic (5 and 10 g kg^?1 of food) were added to the diets and fed to frogs, totalling five treatments over 112 days. Haematological analyses consisted of total and differential leucocyte counts, erythrocyte and thrombocyte counts, haematocrit, haemoglobin levels and RBC indices (mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin – and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration) and the immunological parameters included phagocytic capacity and phagocytic index of peritoneal phagocytes. The results showed that the probiotics did not significantly influence any of the haematological parameters measured. However, immunological assays showed that the probiotics had an immunostimulating effect. The greatest effects were seen with probiotic P₁ fed at a dose of 10 g kg^?1 of diet and probiotic P₂ fed at 5 g kg^?1 of diet.     

Beta-carotene isomer composition of sub- and supercritical carbon dioxide extracts. Antioxidant activity measurement

In the present work sub- and supercritical extraction conditions using carbon dioxide were studied in order to obtain extracts with different compositions from the green microalgae Dunaliella salina. Different compositions of beta-carotene isomers were identified in the extracts by using HPLC-DAD. Also, antioxidant activity of the extracts was measured using a TEAC assay. An experimental design was applied considering two factors, extraction pressure and temperature, in a wide range of values, trying to maximize the extraction yield. Higher yields were obtained at high pressures and low temperatures, that is, at higher CO2 densities. Attempts were made to correlate the antioxidant activity of the extracts with their chemical composition by means of principal component analysis. A certain relationship was found between their antioxidant activity and the isomeric composition of beta-carotenes. As a result, an original equation is proposed to predict the antioxidant activity of extracts from D. salina in terms of the ratio 9-cis-beta-carotene/all-trans-beta-carotene, the concentration of alpha-carotene, and, especially, the concentration of 9-cis-beta-carotene.