Variation in the size and composition of ejaculates produced by male American lobsters, Homarus americanusH. Milne Edwards, 1837 (Decapoda: Nephropidae)

Pugh, Tracy L.; Comeau, Michel; Benhalima, Kadra; Watson, Winsor H.

doi:10.1163/1937240x-00002365

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The average weight of spermatophores for M. americanum recorded during the present study was within the range observed in other macro-crustacean species, such as the red lobster Homarus americanus H. Milne Edwards, 1837, 3-32 mg (Pugh, Comeau, Watson, & Benhalima, 2015); the pink shrimp Penaeus paulensis (Pérez Farfante, 1967) (22-27 mg for males of 20 g) (Braga et al, 2010); and the giant river prawn M. rosenbergii (9 mg) (Claudet, Selvakumar, & Munuswamy, 2016). The proportion of spermatophore weight to body weight calculated in the present experiment (average = 0.02%) indicates that males require a negligible proportion of energy for spermatophore production, contrary to what takes place with females, where up to 40% of body weight is invested in reproduction.…”

Section: Weight Of Spermatophoressupporting

confidence: 87%

Spermatophore production and sperm quality of the river prawn Macrobrachium americanum Spence Bate, 1868 fed with different diets

et al. 2019

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The effects of different diets on spermatophore production and sperm quality were investigated in the river prawn Macrobrachium americanum. River prawns were cultured and fed with three diets for 244 days: fresh food (50% squid meat, Dosidicus gigas and 50% sardine muscle, Sardinops sagax); commercial pellets (35 Purina®); and a 50:50 mixture of both diets. Spermatophore production was recorded every 24 days on average as the percentage of spermatophores produced per extraction per diet, weight and biochemical composition. Sperm quality was measured as the total number of sperm, the proportion of live/dead sperm and normal/abnormal sperm morphology. There were no significant differences in the mean biochemical composition of M. americanum spermatophores for any of the diets. Biochemical composition was 36.3% protein, 25.8% carbohydrate and 4.6% lipids for all data pooled. The weight of spermatophores and sperm counts was not significantly different among diets, nor were there any differences as a function of the male initial total length (p > .05). Male river prawn reproductive exhaustion was observed as a decline in spermatophore production, weight of the spermatophores and the number of sperm cells per spermatophore, with an increasing proportion of dead and abnormal sperm seen throughout the experiment. The recommended period of maintenance in captivity for male broodstock is less than 115 days. It is recommended to feed broodstock males of M. americanum with commercial pellets because no significant differences were detected with the diets tested; pellets are easier to use, ensuring the same spermatophore production and sperm quality that was obtained with fresh food.

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Section: Weight Of Spermatophoressupporting

confidence: 87%

Spermatophore production and sperm quality of the river prawn Macrobrachium americanum Spence Bate, 1868 fed with different diets

et al. 2019

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“…There is no conspicuous courtship or guarding of females, nor agonistic interactions among males (Correa & Thiel, ). An alternative benefit that males may obtain from their size in this mating system is related to the production of more and/or higher quality sperm and more seminal fluid, as previously reported in other invertebrate species with external spermatophore attachment (Butler et al ., ; Pugh et al ., ). This may allow the transfer of larger spermatophores to receptive females and greater fertilization success (MacDiarmid & Butler, ; Ceballos‐Vázquez et al ., ; Pattarini et al ., ; Sato et al ., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…One of the main factors that determine male reproductive quality in some invertebrate species is body size: small males produce lower sperm quantities than larger males and could limit egg fertilization by providing smaller ejaculates to females (e.g. Wiernasz et al, 2001;Ceballos-V azquez, Rosas & Racotta, 2003;Sato et al, 2006;French & Hammack, 2012;Butler et al, 2015;Pugh et al, 2015;Alavi et al, 2016;Vrech et al, 2018). Moreover, small males may have a limited capacity to increase spermatophore volume when mating with large females.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Egg production in relation to paternal weight in a freshwater caridean shrimp (Decapoda)

2019

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In diverse invertebrate species, sperm quantity and quality are positively correlated with male size, egg fertilization rates being consequently affected by paternal weight. This factor may also have an indirect effect on egg quality, because females could adjust the quantity of yolk stored in oocytes before spawning according to their partner attractiveness. The objective of this study was to determine whether paternal weight influences egg production in a freshwater crustacean with external egg fertilization, the caridean shrimp Neocaridina davidi. Virgin females weighing 60–100 mg were paired with virgin males weighing 20–50 mg. The number (total and fertilized), size (volume, wet and dry weight) and carotenoid content of eggs were recorded for each pair. Paternal weight was not associated to any of the evaluated egg variables, while maternal weight showed a positive correlation with egg number and a negative correlation with egg carotenoid content. The percentage of fertilized eggs was similar and near 100% for all paternal sizes, which indicates that small mature males provided enough good‐quality sperm to fertilize almost all the oocytes laid by females, similarly to larger males. The relatively low fecundity of N. davidi females may explain, at least in part, the absence of sperm limitation even under a hypothetical decrease in sperm supply by smaller males. In addition, paternal weight had no effect on egg volume, weight and carotenoid content, which suggests that females do not modulate the total amount of biochemical reserves allocated to the maturing ovary as a function of their partner size. Present results are the starting point for a future evaluation of sperm production, in terms of quantity and quality, in males of different size and physiological condition.

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“…The internal seminal receptacle of female American lobster originates from exoskeleton invagination, similar to those described by Farmer () for the N. norvegicus , H. gammarus and Austropotamobilus pallipes , with no secretory activity. This seminal receptacle is renewed at each ecdysis, and its main function appears to be the storage and protection of the male semen transferred during mating (Pugh, Comeau, Benhalima, & Watson, ; Talbot & Helluy, ). Also, smooth muscles surrounding the seminal receptacle were observed, which may function to transport spermatozoa during egg extrusion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional anatomy of the female reproductive system of the American lobster (Homarus americanus)

Comeau

Benhalima

2018

Journal of Morphology

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Light microscopy studies of the female American lobster Homarus americanus reproductive system are essentially nonexistent or outdated. Based on samples taken in the spring, summer, and autumn from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence between 1994 and 2014, and using a combination of histological and scanning electron microscope techniques, we propose an ovarian cycle with 10 stages, identifying for the first time a recovery stage. Also, an atypical resorption stage, characterized by massive reabsorption of mature oocytes, is occasionally observed during summer months. The oviducts are composed of connective tissue (elastic and collagen fibers) with no muscle or secretory activities. Their epithelium shows a cyclic pattern and phagocytosis activities linked to spawning. Although the role of the seminal receptacle is to store and protect semen, free spermatozoa (i.e., without the spermatophoric wall and the acellular gelatinous substance that constitute the semen) were also observed in its posteriolateral grooves immediately prior to spawning, which is consistent with an external fertilization mechanism at the seminal receptacle. Unexpectedly, free spermatozoa were observed externally near two pore‐like structures located on the gonopore's operculum, not at the seminal receptacle, after spawning; hence, more work is needed to fully understand the fertilization mechanism for the American lobster.

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Variation in the size and composition of ejaculates produced by male American lobsters, Homarus americanusH. Milne Edwards, 1837 (Decapoda: Nephropidae)

Cited by 12 publications

References 36 publications

Spermatophore production and sperm quality of the river prawn Macrobrachium americanum Spence Bate, 1868 fed with different diets

Spermatophore production and sperm quality of the river prawn Macrobrachium americanum Spence Bate, 1868 fed with different diets

Egg production in relation to paternal weight in a freshwater caridean shrimp (Decapoda)

Functional anatomy of the female reproductive system of the American lobster (Homarus americanus)

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