Growth and Diet Utilization Efficiencies of Overwinter Juvenile Mud Crabs Fed with Different Diets

[Objectives]To study the utilization efficiency of different diets for juvenile Scylla paramamosain.[Methods]Low-value fish,shrimp,clam and clamworm were fed to overwintering young mud crabs,and the performance of the feed was evaluated by growth,feed utilization and energy allocation.[Results]Shrimp-fed mud crabs showed the best growth performance,while fish-fed mud crabs showed the worst growth performance and converted the least protein and energy for growth.Shrimp-fed mud crabs molted more frequently,and the dry matter mass and energy of Exuviation were significantly higher than those of fish-fed mud crabs.The shrimp-fed crabs also had significantly higher food intake than those fish-fed crabs.The order of feed conversion efficiency(FCE)of fish-fed mud crabs was Polychaete>clam>shrimp>fish,while the order of FCE calculated with FCE-P and FCE-E was Polychaete>clam>shrimp>fish.Fish-fed mud crabs had the least energy intake and the least energy for growth,molting,excretion,metabolism,and feces.Among the four treatments,the mud crabs fed on Polychaete had the largest proportion of energy used for growth,while the mud crabs fed on fish had the largest proportion of energy used for molting.The proportion of energy consumed by mud crabs fed on Polychaete was the smallest,which may be the main reason for the higher FCE-P and FCE-E of mud crabs fed on Polychaete.[Conclusions]The results of this experiment showed that the utilization of low-value fish by mud crabs was the worst,suggesting that fish should not be used as control or reference food when studying the formula feed of mud crabs.

拟南芥心皮发育CRABS CLAW基因的克隆与荠菜遗传转化

CRABS CLAW(CRC)是控制拟南芥心皮发育的主要基因之一,属MADS box基因家族中的成员.根据GenBank收录的CRABS CLAW基因的cDNA序列设计引物,通过RT-PCR的方法,从哥伦比亚型拟南芥总RNA中扩增出CRABS CLAW基因的全长cDNA片段,将其克隆到pMD18-T载体中,经测序证明该片段与GenBank报道的序列完全一致.以Ti质粒载体pWM101为基础,构建了由组成型启动子CaMV35S调控的CRC基因的植物表达载体pWM101-CRC,通过根癌农杆菌花序浸渍法转化荠菜,获得了转CRC基因的荠菜植株.CRC基因在荠菜中的组成型表达对荠菜心皮形态和大小都产生了一定影响.

Male horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus use multiple sensory cues to locate mates

The use of multisensory cues to locate mates can increase an organism＇s success by acting as a back-up plan when one system fails, by providing additional information to the receiver, and by increasing their ability to detect mates using senses that have different ranges in a variable aquatic environment. In this contribution we review the sensory cues that male horseshoe crabs Lirnulus polyphemus are known to use when locating mates and then provide new data that shed light on this subject. Dur- ing the breeding season, females migrate into shore during high tides to spawn. Males attach to females as they approach the beach or are attracted to pairs already spawning. Vision is well established as an important cue in attracting males. Although chemoreception is well known in other marine arthropods, and horseshoe crabs have the anatomy available, there are few studies on chemical cues in this species. Experiments are presented here that provide evidence for chemical cue use. We show that the attraction, and retention, of attached and satellite males to actively spawning females and mating pairs involves multimodal cues

Flow cytometric analysis of DNA content for four commercially important crabs in China

The genome size（C-value） of an organism is referring to the DNA content of its non-replicated haploid chromosome complement,generally deduced from measuring somatic diploid nuclei.We presented genome size（C-value） data obtained by flow cytometry for four commercially important crabs（Portunus trituberculatus,Charybdis japonica,Scylla paramamosain,and Eriocheir sinensis） common in the coast of China.Gallus domesticus（2C=2.5 pg） was used as the internal standard.The results showed that the C-value for P.trituberculatus,C.japonica,S.paramamosain,and E.sinensis were（2.31±0.01） pg,（2.33±0.03） pg,（1.64±0.02） pg,and（2.29±0.03） pg,respectively.The C-value of P.trituberculatus,C.japonica and S.paramamosain were reported for the first time.The data represented by the four species indicated that they had lower DNA contents than average DNA values in crustaceans（（4.99±0.48） pg）,and three of the four values were very similar if not identical.The results provide useful data for future studies in the fields of biodiversity,species conservation,and phylogeny of these commercial crabs.They will also be helpful in instructing the hybridization breeding program and estimating the cost of the whole genome sequencing project.

Effect of Anthocidaris crassispina Enhancement on the Behavior of Shrimps and Crabs

[Objective] The aim was to study the influence of Anthocidaris crassispina enhancement on the behaviors of wild shrimps and crabs. [Method] Simulation ex- periments were carried out in the laboratory to study the effects of A. crassispina enhancement on the behaviors of wild shrimps and crabs. [Result] Penaeus japoni- cus, Penaeus monodon and Metapenaeus affinis could coexist with A. crassispina, and A. crassispina had a certain attraction to Penaeus japonicus, but no harm oc- curred. There were neither behavioral effects nor hazards between Portunus san- guinolentus and A. crassispina. Portunus trituberculatus and Charybdis feriatus might cause some harm to A. crassispina when their quantity was large, but it was not a common phenomenon. [Conclusion[ This research provided references for the bio- logical behavioristics and the further development of ecological risk assessment of A. crassispina enhancement.

Life Stage, Gender and Movement of Blue Crabs (Callinectes sapidus) in Lake Mattamuskeet and Connecting Canals

In their ranges on east and south coasts of the Americas as well as their established invasions in the Adriatic and Baltic,blue crabs,Callinectes sapidus,inhabit estuaries,sounds and coastal oceans and are commercially and ecologically important.How crabs move in response to physical variables is important to management.We monitored life stages at canal control structures,assessed gender ratios with recreational crabbing,learned from crabbers,and studied movements of tagged crabs in a canal connecting Lake Mattamuskeet to the Pamlico sound.Juveniles enter the lake through two of 4 canals connecting to the sounds.Females migrate out through one canal.The lake standing population is about 70% male.Movements of 240 crabs in August 2012 and 102 crabs in October 2014 were quantified using RFID tags with co-located meteorological and oceanographic devices.Non-spawning females and males are nomadic.Crabs released in the canal move in response to changes in water depth and go with the flow,toward the Pamlico Sound(summer 76% and fall 78%).What crabbers describe as a fall migration appears to be concentration of crabs in warmer deeper canals and then southern movement with flow generated by strong north winds.To be effective,management strategies like migratory corridors require understanding of crab movements.

Implementing geostatistical analysis to study spatio-temporal distribution patterns of swimming crabs(Portunus trituberculatus)

This study attempted to compare the performance of local polynomial interpolation,inverse distance weighted interpolation,and ordinary kriging in studying distribution patterns of swimming crabs.Cross-validation was used to select the optimum method to get distribution results,and kriging was used for making spatial variability analysis.Data were collected from 87 sampling stations in November of 2015(autumn)and February(winter),May(spring)and August(summer)of 2016.Results indicate that swimming crabs widely distributed in autumn and summer:in the summer,they were more spatially independent,and resources in each sampling station varied a lot;in the winter and spring,the abundance of crabs was much lower,but the individual crab size was bigger,and they showed the patchy and more concentrative distribution pattern,which means they were more spatially dependent.Distribution patterns were in accordance with ecological migration features of swimming crabs,which were affected by the changing marine environment.This study could infer that it is applicable to study crab fishery or even other crustacean species using geostatistical analysis.It not only helps practitioners have a better understanding of how swimming crabs migrate from season to season,but also assists researchers in carrying out a more comprehensive assessment of the fishery.Therefore,it may facilitate advancing the implementation in the pilot quota management program of swimming crabs in northern Zhejiang fishing grounds.

Cloning of CRABS CLAW Gene from Brassica napus and Construction of Its RNA Interference Expression Vector

CRABS ClAW （CRC） is a member of the YABBYA transcription factor gene family that plays an important role in floral organ development of plants. This study aimed to further investigate the regulatory function of CRC transcription factor in the development of floral organs of rape （Brassica napus L. ）. A 580 bp fragment of CRC gene was cloned by RT-PCR from total RNA of buds of rape cultivar Ningyou No. 10 to construct an inverted repeated expression cassette of CRC gene using intermediate vector pHturieane. Firstly, CRC gene fragment was positively inserted into the 5＇ end of a spliceable intron and negatively inserted into the 3＇ end of the intron. Subsequently, CaMV35S promoter sequence and inverted repeated expression cassette of CRC gene were transferred into pUC18 multiple clone site of binary expression vector pCAMBIAI1390. The constructed interference expression vector was named pA6-CRCi, which was further confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing.

Microalgal Epibiontic Communities on Some Brachyuran Crabs in Suez Canal, Egypt

The microalgal epibiontic communities of the brachyuran crabs Dorippe quadridens, Schizophrys aspera and Hyastenus hilgendorfi were studied during spring and summer of 2011. A total of 68 microalgal species of four phyla （Chlorophyta, Bascillariophyta, Cyanophyta and Pyrrhophyta） was recorded in the epibiosis of the investigated brachyuran crabs males and females Generally, Bascillariophyta predominate in number of species over the other microalgal groups, followed by Cyanophyta and Pyrrhophyta, while Chlorophyta was represented by the lowest number of species. Highly percentage of occurrence of microalgal epibionts was observed on the dorsal part of the investigated crabs followed by chela and ventral parts.

Integrated Rice-Based Shrimp and Crabs Farming: Adaptation to Climate Change and Potential Mitigation of Global Warming in the Coastal Wetlands of Bangladesh

Coastal agriculture is vulnerable to climate change, thereby may affect food production systems and food security in Bangladesh. Methane (CH4) emission from coastal wetlands rice farming is a major environmental concern due to its global warming potential. Therefore, field experiments were conducted at the southern coastal region of Shyamnagar, Satkhira, to investigate the feasibility of Rice-Shrimp and Rice-Crabs mixed farming for adaptation to the changing climate and sustaining food production system. The experimental treatments were designed on rice-based diversified farming systems such as rice sole cropping with no NPKS + no soil amendments (T1), rice sole cropping following farmers’ practice (FP) without soil amendment (T2), rice sole cropping following FP with phosphogypsum (PG) amendment (T3), Rice-Shrimp mixed culture with PG amendment (T4), Rice-Crabs mixed culture with PG amendment (T5), Rice-Shrimp mixed culture + PG amendment with Spirulina (Cyanobacteria) inoculation (T6), and Rice-Crabs mixed culture + PG amendment with Spirulina inoculation (T7). A closed chamber technique was followed to collect gas samples from the rice paddy field and samples were analyzed by Gas Chromatograph. It was found that Rice-Shrimp (T6) and Rice-Crabs mixed farming (T7) practices significantly decreased GWPs compared to the rice sole cropping system. In the dry boro season, the maximum GWPs 4175 kg CO2 eq. ha-1 was recorded from rice sole cropping (T2), which was decreased by 30% and 36.7% under Rice-Shrimp (T6) and Rice-Crabs (T7) mixed farming practices, respectively. Furthermore, in the wet aman season, maximum GWP 4525 kg CO2 eq. ha-1 was recorded from rice sole cropping (T2), which was decreased by 33.0% and 38.8% under Rice-Shrimp and Rice-Crabs mixed farming, respectively. Rice grain yield was low under rice sole cropping (3500 kg/ha), which was increased by 11.0% and 14.7% under Rice-Shrimp mixed farming amended with PG and Spirulina (T6) during wet aman and dry boro seasons, respectively. The postharvest soil properties, such as soil organic matter content, redox potential value (Eh), and exchangeable K+ and Ca2+, contents in soil increased significantly with Phosphogypsum and Spirulina applications, however, decreased Na+ content and electrical conductivity (EC) eventually improved rice plants’ tolerance to salinity and enhanced overall productivity of Rice-Shrimp and Rice-Crabs mixed farming. Conclusively, the conversion of wetland mono rice cropping into mixed Rice-Shrimp and Rice-Crabs farming would be a feasible strategy to sustain rice aquaculture-based farming, ensure food security and mitigate GWPs in coastal wetlands ecosystem.

Seasonal movements of American horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus in the Great Bay Estuary,New Hampshire (USA)

The goal of this study was to determine the year round movement patterns of American horseshoe crabs, Limulus polyphemus, in the Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire （USA） by using acoustic telemetry to track the movements of 37 adult Limulus, for periods ranging from 2 to 31 months. During the winter （December-March） horseshoe crabs moved very little. In the spring, when water temperatures exceeded II^C, horseshoe crabs moved at least 1 km further up into the estuary to shallower subtidal areas about a month prior to spawning. The mean distance traveled during spring migrations was 2.6 ＋ 0.5 （n=20） km up the estuary. Mating occurred in May and June and during these months animals spent most of their time in shallow subtidal areas adjacent to mating beaches. In the summer （July-Augnst）, animals moved 1.5 ± 0.5 （n=26） km down the estuary, towards the ocean, and ranged widely, using extensive portions of the estuary. In the fall （September-November） movement was more limited （0.5 ± 0.5 km; n = 24） while animals settled into wintering locations, where they remained until spring. The mean annual linear range for all animals was 4.5 ± 0.3 km （n =35） and the maximum distance traveled by an individual horseshoe crab within one year was 9.2 km. There was no evidence that any of the horseshoe crabs tracked during this study left the estuary

Using Sr isotopes to trace the geographic origins of Chinese mitten crabs

Identifying the geographic origins of Chinese mitten crabs is important for food safety and fair market competition.In this study,we used strontium(Sr) isotopes as a tool to trace the geographic origins of Chinese mitten crabs.Chinese mitten crabs,water,and different types of crab feed were collected from four different lakes for Sr isotope analyses.The results showed that the Sr isotope compositions of the different parts from one single crab were consistent within error,indicating that any piece of a crab could be used to represent the Sr isotope characteristics of the whole crab.The Sr isotope compositions of Chinese mitten crabs from the same lake were consistent within the analytical error,and the values were similar to the Sr isotope composition of the water from the same lake.However,the Sr isotope compositions of water and crabs from different lakes are significantly different.Therefore,the Sr isotope compositions of Chinese mitten crabs are mainly controlled by lake water composition,while the impact of feed is limited.This study provides an effective method for tracing the geographic origins of Chinese mitten crabs.

Mitochondrial Genome of Episesarma lafondii(Brachyura:Sesarmidae)and Comparison with Other Sesarmid Crabs

Complete mitochondrial genomes(mitogenomes)can provide useful information for phylogenetic relationships,gene rearrangement,and molecular evolution.Here,the complete mitogenome of Episesarma lafondii(Brachyura:Grapsoidea:Sesarmidae)was sequenced through next-generation sequencing technique for the first time.The 15640 bp mitogenome contains the entire set of 37 genes and an AT-rich region.The rearrangements of two tRNA genes(tRNA-His and tRNA-Gln)are compared with that in the pancrustacean ground pattern,and the tandem duplication/random loss model was selected to explain the observed gene rearrangements.The phylogenetic results showed that all sesarmid crabs belong to the same group,wherein the genus Episesarma showed the closest relationship with Clistocoeloma.Furthermore,the monophyly of each family was well supported except for Xanthidae,Gecarcinidae,and Homolidae.The correlation between the phylogeny of Sesarmidae species and the gaps in the QIM region was analyzed.Evidently,the gaps between Q and I(Gap3 and between I and M(Gap4)degenerated with the evolution process.In general,the results will contribute to the in-depth understanding of gene rearrangements in Sesarmidae mitogenomes and provide new insights into the phylogeny of Brachyura.

High Microplastic Contamination in Juvenile Tri-Spine Horseshoe Crabs:A Baseline Study of Nursery Habitats in Northern Beibu Gulf,China

Microplastics(MPs)are ubiquitous in marine sedimentary environments.Their occurrence in horseshoe crabs and interactions with the sedimentary environment has not been determined.In this study,MPs,mostly microfibers,were found in all extracted gastrointestinal tract(GIT)samples of the juvenile Tachypleus tridentatus from the northern Beibu Gulf,China.The MP concentrations(4–53 items ind-1)were higher than those in most marine benthic invertebrates(<15 items ind-1)reported in Chinese waters,despite their generally low level in habitat sediments(9–1818 items kg-1).The correlation between the juveniles and sediments was not evident,but the abundance in juvenile horseshoe crab GITs decreased with ages.The findings were relevant to the life-history characteristics of the species,typically with limited dispersal capability and their spending nine years or longer time living in mangrove wetlands during low tides,with apparent ontogenetic changes in their diets.These baseline data enable a better understanding of MP availability in benthic macroinvertebrates,and the ecological risks present in the ecosystems.

Genetic Differences of Mitten Crabs Based on RFLP Analysis on Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I(COI) Gene

The genetic differences of 15 mitten crab populations from 6 river systems in China's Mainland and 1 population from Russia were studied based on RFLP analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I （CO I）. The results showed that Tas I-RFLP pattern could be used as a genetic marker to distinguish Eriocheir hepuensis from Eriocheir sinensis, Eriocheirjaponica and Eriocheir leptognathus; genetic distances among 13 populations of Eriocheir sinensis range from 0 to 0.015, indicating that they were different geographic strains; the subspecies status of Eriocheir sinensis and Eriocheir hepuensis （population from Nanliujiang） were considered owning to their genetic distances of 0.02-0.044, indicating that genetic divergence between them was low; Eriocheir leptognathus （population from Nanpaihe, Tianjin） was the most distant taxon with genetic distances value of 0.147-0.195, which could be defined as genetic distances between species in genus Eriocheir.

Mitochondrial Haplotypes suggest Genetic Component for Habitat Preference in Blue Crabs

Atlantic blue crabs(Callinectes sapidus)are ecologically and commercially fundamental.Life stages are punctuated with migration.Adults and juveniles live in estuaries and sounds.Larval stages develop in the coastal ocean.Juvenile and adult crabs occupy habitats from high salinities to fresh water.We determined whether maturing juvenile and adult blue crab habitat use is reflected in mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 haplotypes.High salinity crabs had lower haplotype diversity(0.7260±.03900)compared to spawning crabs(0.9841±.00021)and low salinity crabs(0.94154±.00118).Significant pairwise differences in haplotypes were found between high salinity and spawning crabs(Nm=0.26018,p<0.001),and between high salinity and low salinity crabs(Nm=0.19482,p<0.001)indicating a lack of gene flow.Crabs from high salinity had highly significant genetic differentiation compared to spawning crabs(Fst=0.11830,p<0.001)and low salinity crabs(Fst=0.09689,p<0.001).Results support the hypothesis that genetics influence habitat selection.Crab larvae mix in the coastal ocean but occupy specific habitats upon return to sounds and estuaries.These findings have implications for the management of fisheries.

Evolutionary relationship of three mitten crabs(Eriocheir sp)revealed by mitogenome and 5S ribosomal DNA analysis

To reveal the evolutionary relationship of three mitten crabs(Eriocheir sinensis,E.hepuensis,and E.japonica),complete mitogenomes and nuclear 5S rDNA sequences were analyzed.Sequencing revealed that the mitogenomes analyzed shared conserved organization of the coding and non-coding regions but genetic variation was identified.Among the three mitten crabs distinct tandem repeats were identified in the mitochondrial D-loop region.The 5S gene(5S rDNA)sequence was highly conserved across the three species,whereas non-transcribed spacer(NTS)region exhibit high levels of variation including insertions,deletions and point mutations.Cluster analysis suggested that the three mitten crabs had their own independent 5S rDNA sequence variation and evolutionary pattern.Both mitogenome and 5S rDNA sequence analysis revealed significant genetic variation across the mitten crabs species.Phylogenetic analysis using mitogenome and 5S rDNA sequences demonstrated that E.japonica was relatively more distant from E.sinensis and E.hepuensis.This study extended our previous knowledge and confirmed that the three mitten crabs are likely to be genetically differentiated species.In addition,our study also provided insights into the conservation of pure natural resources of E.sinensis,an important aquaculture species.

Fractionation of rare earth and other trace elements in crabs,Ucides cordatus,from a subtropical mangrove affected by fertilizer industry

Fractionation of rare earth elements（REE） and other trace metal concentrations（Th, U, Cd,Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn） between mangrove sediments and claw muscles and shells of male crabs（Ucides cordatus） from a subtropical estuary highly impacted by fertilizer industry activities was investigated. This is the first record of REE distribution in these organisms,and the results showed higher accumulations of these metals, U and Th in shells, probably related to the replacement of Ca during molting. Contents of Cd, Cr and Ni were similar in both tissues, but Cu, Zn and Pb were mostly accumulated in the claw muscle with concentrations above those considered safe for human consumption according to the Brazilian legislation. REE fractionation was different in the analyzed tissues being softer in the shells. The results provided evidences that the water absorbed during molting controls the chemistry of REE in shells. In contrast, the chemistry of REE in the claw muscle, in which was observed preferential absorption of light REE, is controlled by diet. REE fractionation obtained for the claw muscles was closely correlated to the observed in the contaminated substrate and in materials related to the production of phosphate fertilizers（contamination source）, which supports their transference to this Ucides cordatus tissue without fractionation by the ingestion of sediments. Our results showed the potential use of crab tissues for monitoring REE and trace element sources in mangrove areas, with claw muscle exhibiting the contaminant source fingerprint.

The King of Crabs

An innovative entrepreneur and Party member’s tale of success amid hardships and obstacles Knowledge can change one’s life.That is how 46-year-old Li Xiaodong describes his rags-to-riches story. Li’s resume glows.He is