Effects of temperature on the whole body fatty acid composition and histological changes of the gills in blue swimmer crabs, Portunus pelagicus

Abstract

As water temperatures rise due to the effects of climate change, the effects of temperature on the physiological processes of aquaculture species must be studied. This study evaluates the effects of different water temperatures on the fatty acid (FA) composition and histological development of the gills in the blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus. Three levels of water temperature (24 °C, 28 °C, and 32 °C) were used to determine their effects on the first 119 days of the crabs’ development after C8 stage in a recirculating aquaculture system. The study showed that the FA analysis in crabs in water with a temperature of 28 °C showed greater FA composition in their whole body compositions than in crabs kept at 32 °C. The results of the histological gill analysis showed that the number of hemocytes in the anterior gills of the crabs increased proportionately with the increases in temperature. In summary, temperature affects the Omega-3 and omega-6 concentrations and the histological conditions of the structure of the gills of the P. pelagicus. Keywords: Aquaculture, Climate change, Crustacean, Fatty acids, Portunid crabs