Frontiers in Marine Science (Jun 2014)
Contributions for larval development optimization of <i>Homarus gammarus</i>
Abstract
The European lobster, Homarus gammarus, is considered one of the most important fishery resources in Europe, with high economic value and very appreciated seafood. However, in the last century their catch has been decreasing dramatically. Several restocking programs have been developed, but their larval development is quite demanding, hindering its cultivation. The present study aimed to contribute to increased knowledge about the larval development and growth of H. gammarus in order to optimize the protocols of captive cultivation. To fulfill these objectives, three complementary and distinct tests were performed, namely: (1) evaluate the effect of different lyophilized diets and live food, (2) evaluate the probiotic effect added to larval rearing and, finally, (3) define the relationship between the temperature effect and the larval development. The diet effect experiment, showed that the dry food, for this type of larval rearing, it is not suitable for H. gammarus larvae, resulting in 100% of mortality before reaching Zoea II, contrasting with the obtained results using live brine shrimp nauplii, with 4.17% survival to PL stage. The addition of probiotics in seawater, proved to be ineffective, with no differences in survival and growth rates, and intermoult period, compared to larvae grown without addition of probiotic in rearing water. The seawater rising temperature resulted in a decrease of intermoult period in all larval development stages and at all tested temperatures, ranging from 4.77 (Z1) to 16.5 days (Z3) at 16°C, whereas at 23°C, ranged from 3:02 (Z1) and 9.75 days (Z3). The results obtained are an extremely useful guide for future optimization of protocols on larval development of H. gammarus.
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