Improving weaning strategies for Senegalese sole: effects of body weight and digestive capacity

To optimize Senegalese sole‐weaning strategies, three experiments were performed. The first trial tested four weaning strategies with a 10 mg sole. Artemia‐fed sole grew threefold less than fish fed an inert diet. Sudden weaning (abrupt change from Artemia to inert diet) and weaning with co‐feeding produced larger sole than did a late weaning treatment; delayed weaning negatively affected fish growth. In the second experiment, the digestive capacity of early‐weaned 1, 2 and 4 mg sole was investigated. The highest growth was observed in sole weaned at 4 mg. Digestive enzyme profiles suggest that sole have an adaptation period to inert diets, with reduced feed intake. This adaptation period is inversely proportional to post‐larvae weight. The third experiment examined weaning with co‐feeding at different weights (2, 5 and 11 mg). These studies demonstrate that sole of 5–10 mg can be weaned, with high survival rates. On the basis of the digestive enzyme profiles, the early introduction of inert diets in co‐feeding with Artemia seems to affect intestinal processes in smaller postlarvae. This study also suggests that trypsin and alkaline phosphatase may be used as indicators of nutritional status in sole of <5 mg.     

Morphology,seasonality and phylogeny of Zschokkella soleae sp. n. (Myxozoa,Myxosporea) parasite of Solea solea (L.) (Pleuronectiformes,Soleidae) from Ghar El Melh Lagoon,Tunisia

A new Myxosporea, Zschokkella soleae sp. n., was found in the gall bladder and the bile of common sole, Solea solea (L.), from Ghar El Melh Lagoon in north‐east Tunisia. This is the first record for the presence of Zschokkella species in Tunisian waters. The parasite's plasmodia are polysporic with variable size and shape. Some plasmodia appeared attached to the gall bladder epithelium while others were found free in bile. Mature spores are ellipsoidal in frontal view 13.8 ± 0.38 μm long and 10.86 ± 0.40 μm wide with two equal size spherical polar capsules 3.6 ± 0.43 μm in size. The prevalence of infection seems to correlate with host size and changes over the year with maximum percentage in summer. Based on the 18S rDNA sequence data, Z. soleae sp. n. is readily distinguishable from other myxozoan DNA sequences in GenBank. Phylogenetically, the new species is placed in the freshwater Myxidium clade including several Zschokkella spp. infecting the gall bladder. Morphology, histology as well as DNA sequence analysis indicate that the examined species differs from all previously described Zschokkella species.     

The potential of aquaculture sole production in Europe: Production costs and markets

Sole is a high-value flatfish species that is highly favored in many European markets. Nowadays most sole comes from capture fisheries; however, wild supply has been decreasing because of decreasing catches due to stocks overexploitation. Due to its high price and declining landings, as well as a desire by farmers to diversify their operations, there has been an expansion in sole aquaculture production in recent years and there are ambitious plans for further growth. In this paper we assess the potential for sole aquaculture in Europe using raceways. This is done by analyzing the production costs of sole farms and the price evolution in European sole markets.     

Endolimax piscium sp. nov. (Amoebozoa), causative agent of systemic granulomatous disease of cultured sole,Solea senegalensis Kaup

A new amoeba species pathogenic for Senegalese sole is described based on ultrastructural analysis and SSU rDNA phylogenetic inference. The parasite presents round to ovoid trophozoites (<5 μm) with a high degree of intracellular simplification. No mitochondria were observed, but mitosome‐like organelles were present. No cysts could be detected. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the Senegalese sole parasite as an amitochondriate Archamoeba related to Endolimax nana and Iodamoeba spp., and we tentatively describe it as a new species in the genus Endolimax, Endolimax piscium. However, the genetic distance with E. nana is quite large, with only 60% pairwise identity between both SSU rDNA genotypes. Although the overall topology of the Archamoebae cladograms containing E. piscium was consistent, the support for the branching of Endolimax spp. relative to its closest neighbours was variable, being higher with distance or parsimony‐based inference methods than with ML or Bayesian trees. The use of stringent alignment sampling masks also caused instability and reduced support for some branches, including the monophyly of Endolimax spp. in the most conservative data sets. The characterization of other Archamoebae parasitizing fish could help to clarify the status of E. piscium and to interpret the large genetic distance observed between Endolimax species.     

非洲楝提取物对斜纹夜蛾的杀虫活性研究

室内测定了非洲楝提取物对斜纹夜蛾幼虫的杀虫活性。结果显示,非洲楝提取物对斜纹夜蛾幼虫具有很强的毒杀作用,10和14 d的LC50值分别为0.466和0.173 mg/mL;此外,非洲楝提取物对斜纹夜蛾幼虫还表现出较强的抑制生长发育作用,与对照相比,幼虫龄期和蛹期延长,蛹重减小,化蛹率和成虫羽化率显著降低。非洲楝具有防治斜纹夜蛾的潜力。     

Co-feeding of live feed and inert diet from first-feeding affects Artemia lipid digestibility and retention in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) larvae

The present study intended to evaluate the effects of early introduction of inert diet in lipid digestibility and metabolism of sole, while larval feed intake, growth and survival were also monitored. Solea senegalensis larvae were reared on a standard live feed regime (ST) and co-feeding regime with inert diet (Art R). Trials using sole larvae fed with Artemia enriched with two different lipid emulsions, containing glycerol tri [1-¹⁴C] oleate (TAG) and L-3-phosphatidylcholine-1,2-di-[1-¹⁴C] oleoyl (PL), were performed at 9 and 17 days after hatching (DAH) to study lipid utilization. Co-feeding did not affect sole survival rates (ST 59.1 ± 15.9%; Art R 69.56 ± 9.3%), but was reflected in significantly smaller final weight at 16 DAH (ST 0.71 ± 0.20; Art R 0.48 ± 0.14 mg). Higher feed intake was observed in sole larvae fed on Artemia enriched with labeled PL at 9 DAH but not at 17 DAH. At 17 DAH, the smaller larvae (Art R treatment) ingested proportionally more Artemia in weight percentage, independently of enrichment. At 9 DAH lipid digestibility was equal among treatments and higher than 90%, while at 17 DAH it was higher in ST treatment (around 73%) compared to the Art R group (around 66%). Lipid retention efficiency at 9 DAH was higher in the Art R treatment, reaching values of 50%, while these values almost duplicated at 17 DAH, ranging up to 80% in both treatments without significant differences. These results show that co-feeding of live feed and inert diet from first-feeding in Senegalese sole has a toll in terms of growth and lipid digestibility but does not seem to compromise lipid metabolic utilization.     

Iodine‐enriched rotifers and Artemia prevent goitre in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) larvae reared in a recirculation system

To study the effect of dietary supplementation of iodine in Solea senegalensis, larvae were randomly distributed in six tanks. Larvae in three tanks were given rotifers and Artemia enriched with iodine in addition to Rich Advance or Super Selco from 2 days after hatch (DAH) until 31 DAH. Larvae in a second set of three tanks were fed control rotifers and Artemia, enriched only with Rich Advance or Super Selco. Samples were collected at 2, 5, 10, 15 and 31 DAH to determine dry weight, total length, myotome height and thyroid status. Larvae fed the iodine‐enriched diet had significantly higher weight at 31 DAH and higher levels of whole body iodine concentration, compared to control larvae. At 31 DAH, larvae from the control treatment showed typical goitrous thyroid follicles. Thyroid cells of larvae from this treatment appeared columnar or afollicular, with the colloid partly or completely depleted, representative of hyperplasia (goitre). The lower growth rate in fish larvae from the control treatment was possibly a consequence of the hyperplasia, and the iodine enrichment prevented Senegalese sole larvae from developing goitre. This study demonstrates the importance of iodine enrichment of live feed for fish reared in a recirculation system.     

Interactions of microorganisms isolated from gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata L., on Vibrio harveyi, a pathogen of farmed Senegalese sole, Solea senegalensis (Kaup)

Four bacterial isolates from farmed gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, included in a previous study as members of the Vibrionaceae and Pseudomonodaceae and the genus Micrococcus, have been evaluated for their adhesive ability to skin and intestinal mucus of farmed Senegalese sole, Solea senegalensis, and their antagonistic effect on Vibrio harveyi, a pathogen of sole. These isolates showed higher adhesion to sole mucus than the pathogenic strains of V. harveyi assayed. Only two of the isolates showed antagonistic activity to V. harveyi. Interactions of the four isolates with V. harveyi in respect of adhesion to skin and intestinal mucus under exclusion, competition and displacement conditions were studied. Three isolates were able to reduce the attachment to skin and intestinal sole mucus of a pathogenic strain of V. harveyi under displacement and exclusion conditions, but not under competition conditions. The in vivo probiotic potential of isolate Pdp11 was assessed by oral administration followed by challenge with the pathogenic V. harveyi strain Lg14/00. A group of 50 Senegalese sole received a commercial diet supplemented with 10(8) cfu g(-1) of lyophilized Lg14/00 for 15 days. A second group of fish received a non-supplemented commercial diet. After challenge the mortality of the fish receiving the diet supplemented with the potential probiotic isolate was significantly lower than that in the fish receiving the non-supplemented commercial diet. This study has shown that the ability to interfere with attachment of pathogens, as well as the adhesion to host surfaces, are suitable criteria for selection of candidate probiotics for use in the culture of Senegalese sole.