Recruitment of postlarval penaeid prawns in the Vellar estuary, South India

Abstract only.The northern bank of Vellar estuary (Parangipettai, India) is ideal for postlarval penaeid prawn recruitment. The annual recruitment, distribution and the substratum preference of postlarval immigrants at three different stations in the estuary were studied in detail. Among the postlarvae of Penaeus, P. (Fenneropenaeus) indicus was dominant followed by P. (Penaeus) monodon, P. (P.) semisulcatus, P. (F.) merguiensis and P. (Melicertus) latisulcatus. In Metapenaeus, postlarvae of M. monoceros were abundant followed by M. dobsoni, M. affinis, M. bre-vicornis and M. lysianassa. Two peaks were observed in the postlarval penaeid prawn population. In P (F.) indicus and P. (P.) monodon, the primary peak occurred from January to April and the secondary peak from July to September. In M. monoceros and M. dobsoni, the primary peak was from March to May and the secondary peak from August to September. The postlarvae of P. (F.) indicus, P. (P.) monodon, M. monoceros and M. dobsoni were available throughout the year while the others were seasonal. The distribution of postlarvae in the estuary is related to the type of substratum, salinity and temperature. The postlarval population declined during the northeast monsoon (November-December) and in peak summer (May-June). Their abundance decreased in the lower salinity areas of the upper reaches of the estuary

Diseases, parasites, commensals and fouling of commercial Penaeid prawns of the Portonovo coast of South India

Abstract only.There are very few reports on the diseases, parasites, commensals and fouling in penaeid prawns. During the regular collection of marine and estuarine prawns in the east coast of India, a number were found to be infested with various organisms. The prawn Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) indicus, was infested with a microsporidian which causes a condition known as milk or cotton prawn. The infestation was spread throughout the abdominal musculature of the prawn. The marine prawn Parapenaeopsis stylifera had epibiotic growth of athecate hydrozoans, probably of the genus Tubularia, on the dorsal side of the carapace and abdominal segments. This is the first report of athecate hydrozoans infesting the prawn. The prawn Metapenaeopsis stridulans was observed to be parasitized by a bopyrid isopod, Orbione thielemanni and the prawn Sicyonia lancifera, parasitized by another bopyrid isopod, O. kemi. The bopyrid isopod O. kemi infesting the prawn S. lancifera is also recorded for the first time. Both bopyrid isopods were found in the branchial cavity of the prawns. The Pontoniinid prawn Chernocaris placunae is a commensal living in the mantle cavity of the bivalve, Placenta placenta. Barnacles were found attached to the carapace and first abdominal segment of the prawn, Parapenaeopsis uncta, whereas they were found in the telson region also in the prawn P. stylifera. Most of the barnacles were very small with a basal diameter of less than 1.5 mm

Environmental physiology of the prawn Penaeus (melicertus) latisulcatus

Abstract only.There are a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors which affect the normal routine activity of the prawn. The present study attempts to elucidate the optimum levels of various environmental factors for the culture of prawns. The salinity tolerance capacity of Penaeus (Melicertus) latisulcatus was estimated in 13 different test salinities from 0 to 60 ppt (at 5 ppt increments). The prawns can tolerate a wide salinity range of 20-50 ppt. Maximum survival, however, was between 25 to 45 ppt. The extreme low (0-10 ppt) and high (60 ppt) salinities were highly lethal to the prawns. The change in acclimation temperature from 30 to 35°C increased the upper incipient lethal level from 38.5 to 39.5°C. The prawns acclimated to 30°C tolerated 42°C for 275 sec and 45.5°C for 13 sec, while prawns acclimated to 35°C tolerated 42°C for 505 sec and 46.5°C for 11 sec. Prawns were acclimated to a salinity of 26 ppt and oxygen consumption was measured at 5, 15, 26, and 38 ppt in a continuous water-flow method. The total oxygen consumption showed an inverse relationship with weight. Oxygen consumption declined with increase in salinity. The resistance of prawns to hydrogen sulphide was tested in 18 different concentrations of sodium sulphide mixed with seawater. The prawns tolerated sodium sulphide concentrations up to 20 mg/ℓ. The dissolved oxygen in the water was found to be reduced to very low levels with the increase in the concentration of sodium sulphide (from 5.9 ml O2/ℓ to 0.54 ml O2/ℓ). This may cause heavy mortality of the prawns