Role of eye-stalk of Macrobrachium gangeticum Bate, 1868 in its reproductive behaviour has been examined by conducting deletion and addition experiments. Eye-stalk ablation induced gonadal maturity in both sexes, leading to change in colour and size of ovaries and increase in GSI and oocyte diameter in females and increased length of testes and diameters of seminiferous tubules in males. Injection of eye-stalk extracts tended to at least partly restrict the effects in both sexes. The experiments thus suggested that the eye-stalk of M. gangeticum released some gonad inhibiting factors

Gupta, A.K.

Roy, D.

Aquatic Commons

J. Indian Fish Assoc., 36: 41-46, 2009 41 
SUGGESTIVE ROLE OF EYE-STALK OF MACROBRACHIUM GANGETICUM BATE, 
1868 IN REGULATION OF ITS REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR. 
Akhilesh Kumar Gupta and D. Roy* 
Department of Zoology 
S.M.M. Town P.G. College, Ba//ia-277001 
U.P. (INDIA} 
e-mail: dayala@rediffmail.com 
akhilesh.sep@rediffmail.com 
*Corresponding author. 
ABSTRACT 
Role of eye-stalk of Macrobrachium gangeticum Bate, 1868 in its reproductive behaviour 
has been examined by conducting deletion and addition experiments. Eye-stalk ablation induced 
gonadal maturity in both sexes, leading to change in colour and size of ovaries and increase in GSI 
and oocyte diameter in females and increased length of testes and diameters of seminiferous 
tubules in males. Injection of eye-stalk extracts tended to at least partly restrict the effects in both 
sexes. The experiments thus suggested that the eye-stalk of M.gangeticum released some gonad 
inhibiting factors. 
Key words: Macrobrachium gangeticum, Eye-stalk, Gonads. 
INTRODUCTION 
The eye-stalk of crustanceans 
possesses X-organ-sinus gland complex which 
is an important neuroendocrine organ of 
crustaceans, (Cooke, 1982; Bliss, 1971 and 
Passano, 1951.) The histoarchitecture and 
seasonal variations of the X-organ sinus gland 
complex of Macrobrachium gangeticum Bate, 
1868, have earlier been reported, (Gupta, 
2007 a & b) and the present communication 
deals with the role of this organ in regulation 
ofthe reproductive behaviourofthespecies. 
Twenty immature specimen each of 
male and female M. gangeticum (ranging in 
size 13-15 em) were collected from Ganga 
river near Buxar and Ballia in the month of 
March (2004-2005) and brought to the 
laboratory. Morphological characteristics of 
gonads were noted and they were then fixed 
in Bouin's solution and sections (5-6 ~m thick) 
were stained with eosin/hematoxylin. 
The animals were grouped under 8 
groups (I-VIII) with five prawns in each group 
(groups I-IV include females and V-VIII include 
males) 
Groups I & V- Control (female and male) 
Groups II & VI- Eye-stalk ablated (female and 
male) 
Groups Ill & VII - Normal females and males 
injected with eye-stalk extract. 
Groups IV & VIII - Eye-stalk ablated females 
and males injected with the eye-stalk extract. 
Eye stalk ablation was done in 
animals kept under ice cold water. The 
homogenate of the eye-stalk was prepared 
according to the methods described by 
42 Akhilesh Kumar Gupta and D. Roy 
Nagabhushanam and Diwan, (1974}, Twenty 
microlitres of the eye-stalk extract, prepared 
by homogenizing 2 eye-stalks in 20 ~I distilled 
water, (equivalent to two eye-stalk/prawn) 
were injected on the 3rd, 6th and 9th days in 
the abdominal musculature of prawns of 
groups Ill, IV, VII and VIII with the help of 
hypodermic microsyringe. Prawns were 
sacrificed on day 15 and examined. 
OBSERVATIONS 
Effects of eye-stalk on ovarian maturation: 
The eye-stalk ablated females 
showed a noticeable change in colour of their 
ovaries-from pale greenish to green, a 
significant increase in mean GSI and also in 
oocyte diameter at the termination of the 
experiment as compared to the corresponding 
values of controls. The females of group 111 
showed the values of mean GSI and oocyte 
diameter to be somewhat lower than those of 
group II (eye-stalk ablated) counterparts. 
Similarly, when the eye-stalk ablated animals 
were injected with eye-stalk extract (Group 
IV), the above values were reduced as 
compared to those of group II females and 
were nearly touching the corresponding 
values of control animals (Table-1). 
Table-1 
Effects of eye-stalk on testicular maturation: 
The testes of eye-stalk ablated 
animals showed somewhat advanced stage of 
maturity both in physical appearance as well 
as in histology at the termination of the 
experiment. The colour was white with pink 
spots, the average length measured 3.21 + 
0.59 em. against the control value of 2.41 ~ 
0.54 em and the average seminiferous tubul~ 
diameter was 44.31 ± 4.55 ~m against the 
control value of 30.54 ± 3.52 ~m. While the 
seminiferous tubules of control animals had 
spermatocytes and few spermatogonia as 
their dominant cell types, those of eye-stalk 
ablated animals had spermatids and 
spermatozoa. The animals of group VII, 
exhibited opposite results. Length of testes as 
well as tubule diameter showed much 
reduced values, nearly approaching the 
control values. Normal/Eye-stalk ablated 
animals, when supplemented with eye-stalk 
injections (Group VII & VIII), exhibited reduced 
testicular maturity. Length of testes and 
tubule diameter were only a little more than 
the corresponding values of control animals. 
Spermatocytes were dominant in their 
seminiferous tubules (Table-2). 
Effects of Eye-stalk on ovarian maturation of M gangeticum 
Animal groups GSI Oocyte diameter Colour of the 
(size range 13-15 em) mean± SO 
--
±SD(Jlm) ovary at the end 
of experiment 
Group-1 2.87+0.24 24.91+2.41 Pale Greenish 
Group-11 3.32+0.31 35.95+0.23 Green 
Group-Ill 2.95+0.25 28.51+3.54 Pale Greenish 
Group-IV 2.90+0.29 26.33+2.51 Pale Greenish 
(All the data represent values at the termmat1on of experiment) 
SUGGESTIVE ROLE OF EYE-STALK OF MACROBRACH/UM GANGET/CUM BATE 
1868 IN REGULATION OF ITS REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR. ' 
43 
Table-2 
Effects of eye-stalk on testicular maturation of M gangeticum . 
Animal groups length of Diameter of Dominant cell types 
(size range 13-15 em) testes (em) seminiferous 
tubules {IJ.m) 
Group-V 2.41±0.54 30.54±3.52 spermatocytes, few 
spermatogonia 
Group-VI 3.21±0.59 44.31±4.55 spermatids and 
spermatozoa 
Group-VII 2.53±0.41 33.45±3.45 spermatocytes and 
few spermatogonia 
Group-VIII 2.82+0.34 35.24+4.21 spermatocytes 
(All the data represent values at the termination of experiment) 
DISCUSSION 
Deletion and addition experiments 
have revealed the physiological role of the 
eye-stalk of M. gangeticum. Eye-stalk ablation 
of females led to change in the colour of 
ovaries from light green to dark green and 
increase in GSI and oocyte diameter. All these 
changes indicated accelaration of the ovarian 
maturity. However, when normal or eye-stalk 
ablated animals were injected with eye-stalk 
extracts, the above changes were, more or 
less, restricted. 
Almost similar effects were produced 
in males post eye-stalk ablation. Length of 
testes as vJell as diameters of seminiferous 
tubules got increased. Presence of spermatids 
with few spermatozoa in the testes of eye-
stalk ablated animals indicated precocious 
maturity. As in case of females, the effects of 
eye-stalk ablation in males too were more or 
less restricted following injection of eye-stalk 
extract. 
Thus, in case of both males and 
females, eye-stalk ablation leads to 
advancement of gonadal maturity. However, 
specimen of groups Ill and VII, which include 
normal females and males injected with eye-
stalk extracts, show values somewhat higher 
than that of groups I and V (controls). 
However, the differences are not very 
significant. But the values of groups II and VI 
(eye-stalk ablated females and males) are 
significantly higher than those of the other 
groups of males and females respectively. 
These observations, clearly indicate 
that the x-organ sinus gland complex located 
inside the eye-stalk exerts some gonad 
inhibiting effects. This conclusion is in 
agreement with the findings of Rangnekar and 
Deshmukh, 1968. John and Sivadas, 1979 
noted early maturity of ovary in eye-stalk 
ablated estuarine crab, Scylla serrata. Similar 
reports were made by Panouse, 1943 in 
Pa/aemon serratus. Mirajkar et a/., 1985 
reported high ovary inhibiting activity of the 
44 Akhilesh Kumar Gupta and D. Roy 
eye-stalk in spawned prawn Macrobrachium 
kistensis. While Adiyodi and Adiyodi, (1974) 
were of the opinion that the ablation effect on 
reproduction of crustaceans depends on the 
maturation stage of the ovary, Bomirski and 
Klek, (1974) suggested that the ovary 
inhibiting hormone of eye-stalk is responsible 
for the resting phase of the ovary and controls 
the role of vitellogenesis. Han and Kim, (1993) 
also found the gonad inhibiting effect of x-
organ of Macrobrachium nipponense to be 
stronger in resting period. Other studies 
showing the gonad inhibiting effects of eye-
stalk include those by Mirajkar, (1980) on 
Macrobrachium kistensis, Kumar and Pandian' 
on Macrobrachium nobi/ii, Rajender Rao, 
(1987) on Macrobrachium lammarrei, (1987) 
Biswas, (1991) on Macrobrachium dayanum, 
Wilder eta/., (1994), Perez-Cruz eta/., (1995) 
and Kumar and Pandey, (2003) on 
Macrobrachium rosenbergii and (Upadhyaya, 
2000) on Macrobrachium ma/comsonii. 
In the present study, the precocious 
ovarian maturity following eye-stalk ablation 
did not lead to oviposition. This is in 
accordance with the finding of Sarojini eta/., 
(1982 & 1983), Sambhasiva Rao (1986), 
Biswas, (1991) etc. Eye-stalk is also not 
reported to affect the process of hatching, 
(Saigusa, 2000). 
Several studies also confirm the 
present observation that the factors released 
from eye-stalk bring about precocious 
maturity of testes as well. Mirajkar, (1980), 
Sarojini eta/., (1982), Rajender Rao, (1989), 
Biswas, (1991) and Upadhyaya (2000) have 
reported early maturity of testes of various 
Macrobrachium species after eye-stalk 
ablation. However, the findings of Carlisle, 
(1954) and Aoto and Nishidha, (1956) do not 
correspond to the present view. Eye-stalk 
ablation is also reported to increase the 
intermoult period as well as the growth rate. 
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Suggestive role of eye-stalk of Macrobrachium gangeticum Bate, 1868 in regulation of its reproductive behaviour

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Suggestive role of eye-stalk of Macrobrachium gangeticum Bate, 1868 in regulation of its reproductive behaviour

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