We examined changes in the histology, physiology and enzymatic activity of the digestive gland -as well as changes in morphology and feeding behavior -of Octopus maya during rearing, to define the phases characterizing post-hatching development. Morphometric changes showed that juvenile O. maya exhibited a non-growth phase during the first 10 d post-hatching (DPH). Histological analysis revealed that the digestive gland morphology changed with age, from a simple tubular gland in octopuses 2 DPH to a tubulo-acinar and vacuolar structure with digestive cells characterized by vacuoles in octopuses 45 DPH. Digestive enzyme activity was erratic until 14 DPH, after which the activity started to stabilize. O. maya at 2 and 3 DPH rarely presented attack responses to either visual or both visual and chemical stimuli from prey. In contrast, at 4 DPH, octopuses responded to visual stimuli from crabs and palaemonids, but did not display preference in attacking either prey type. Based on our results, we have defined for the first time 2 phases in the early life history of O. maya: post-hatching and juvenile.KEY WORDS: Cephalopoda · Digestive gland · Post-hatching development · Digestive enzyme · Feeding behavior · Octopus maya Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherAquat Biol 9: [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] 2010 immediately on post-hatching, as previously assumed for squid (Forsythe & Van Heukelem 1987), and that first-feeding hatchlings were extremely sensitive to starvation. The occurrence of the no net growth phase was only revealed after daily individual weight data had been obtained (Vidal et al. 2002).In a similar way, Boucaud-Camou & Boucher-Rodoni (1983) reported that Sepia officinalis hatchlings go through 3 stages that include (1) an embryonic phase characterized by intracellular yolk digestion, linear low growth rate, weak activity of the digestive gland and negative reactions of chymotrypsin, indicating negative extracellular digestion (during these first 4 d the animals do not eat); (2) a post-hatching phase that begins with the first meal inducing the secretory activity of the digestive gland that has grown at the expense of the inner yolk sac; and (3) a juvenile-adult phase, observed at the end of the first month of life, in which the digestive gland has the same histophysiology as that of adults and in which animals are able to catch a greater variety of prey. In this sense, Budelmann et al. (1997) pointed out that the microscopic anatomy of the digestive gland, like the duct appendages of cephalopods, undergoes a variety of changes during postembryonic and juvenile development that result in diverse anatomical features and functions, although some are not yet completely understood. These include (1) synthesis and secretion of digestive enzymes; (2) absorption and metabolism of nutrients; (3) synthesis and storage of lipids, lipoproteins, glycogen, pigments, vitamins and protein; (4) binding of Fe, Cu, Ca and non-physiological hea...

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This study describes and recognises, using histological and microscopical examinations on a morphometrical basis, several gonad traits through the early life stages of Chiton articulatus and C. albolineatus. Gonadal ontogenesis, gonad development stages, sexual differentiation, onset of the first sexual maturity, and growth sequences or “early life stages” were determined. In addition, allometry between lengths and body weight pooled for both sexes per each chiton were calculated using equation Y = aXb. A total of 125 chitons (4≤TL≤40 mm, in total length “TL”) were used. All allometric relations showed a strong positive correlation (r), close to 1, with b-values above three, indicating an isometric growth. Gonadal ontogenesis and gonad development stages were categorised into three periods (“Pw” without gonad, “Pe” gonad emergence, and “Pf” gonadal sac formed) and four stages (“S0” gametocytogenesis, “S1” gametogenesis, “S2” mature, and “S3” spawning), respectively. Compound digital images were attained for each process. Periods and stages are overlapped among them and between species, with the following overall confidence intervals in TL: Pw 6.13–14.32 mm, Pe 10.32–16.93 mm, Pf 12.99–25.01 mm, S0 16.08–24.34 mm (females) and 19.51–26.60 mm (males), S1 27.15–35.63 mm (females) and 23.45–32.27 mm (males), S2 24.48–40.24 mm (females) and 25.45–32.87 mm (males). Sexual differentiation (in S0) of both chitons occurs first as a female then as a male; although, males reach the onset of the first sexual maturity earlier than females, thus for C. articulatus males at 17 mm and females at 32 mm, and for C. albolineatus males at 23.5 mm and females at 28 mm, all in TL. Four early life stages (i.e., subjuvenile, juvenile, subadult, and adult) are described and proposed to distinguish growth sequences. Our results may be useful to diverse disciplines, from developmental biology to fisheries management.

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Gonad development during the early life of Octopus maya is described in terms of histological, morphometric, oocytes growth, and somatic-oocyte relationship data obtained from octopus cultured at the UMDI-UNAM, in Sisal, Yucatan, Mexico. This study is the first publication on gonad development during the early life of Octopus maya. A total of 83 O. maya specimens were used; their sizes ranged from 6.5 to 76 mm of total length (TL), 4 to 28 mm of dorsal mantle length (DML), 2.5 to 20 mm of ventral mantle length (VML), and 0.0180 to 7.2940 g of fixed body weight (fBW). Animals were weighed and measured only after preservation. A loss of 10% of living weight was estimated for juvenile octopuses after formalin preservation. The relation of length to weight (VML, DML, TL/fBW) pooled for both sexes had a strong positive correlation (r), as shown by a potential power function that was quite close to 1. Compound images were produced from numerous microscopic fields. The histological examination revealed that, 4 months after hatching, male octopus (24.5 mm DML and 7.2940 g fBW) were in gonad stages 2 (maturing) to 3 (mature), with spermatogonia and spermatocytes in the tubule wall and abundant spermatids and spermatozoa in the central lumen of the seminiferous tubules, suggesting the occurrence of different phases of gonad development at different maturity stages. In contrast, females (22.5 mm DML and 4.8210 g fBW) at the same time since hatching were immature (stage 1), with many oogonia, few oocytes, and germinal epithelium. This suggests that males reach maturity earlier than females, indicating a probable onset of maturity for males at around 4 months of culture or 8 g of wet body weight. Our results indicate the possibility that the size-at-weight can be recognized early with a degree of certainty that allows the sexes to be separated for culture purposes; but more detailed studies on reproduction in relation to endocrinology and nutrition are needed.

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The cephalopod digestive gland (DG) is responsible for enzyme production as well as nutrient and lipid storage. Octopus maya (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) is a holobenthic octopus species with aquaculture potential. To develop a balanced food for the rearing of this octopus, it is necessary to understand its digestive physiology. We performed histological studies on the structural change of the DG (cytological ontogeny) associated with age (from 0 to 30 d posthatching, DPH) and food (postprandial change in 120 DPH juveniles). Early ontogeny of DG was defined in 3 stages: (1) yolk platelets stage (0 to 5 DPH), (2) transition stage (6 to 10 DPH) and (3) heterolysosomes (food reserves) stage (>12 DPH). In Stage 1, the DG had anatomically undifferentiated tubules, but was filled with yolk platelets. The tubular structures developed lumen by 5 DPH. Stage 2 (starting at 6 DPH) corresponds to mixed exogenous and endogenous feeding. At that time, the yolk platelets were gradually consumed until completely exhausted at 9 DPH. At the onset of Stage 3, the DG structure was completely tubular, exhibiting digestive cell microvilli and other cellular features typical to octupus DGs. During exogenous feeding (12 DPH and onward), acidophilic secretory lysosomes, heterolysosomes and some heterophagosomes appeared on DG cells. O. maya has long digestive cycles in which the extracellular and intracellular digestion can take up to 8 h. Although the ecological implications of this information for aquaculture will still have to be proven, results demonstrated that O. maya is an energetically efficient species and thus suitable for rearing in captivity.