Ecdysteriod titers during the molt cycle of the blue crab resemble those of other crustacea

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · Biol. Bull.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1541372· OSTI ID:6355159

Soumoff, C; Skinner, D M

Callinectes sapidus is the only true crab (brachyuran) whose pattern of ecdysteroid titers has been described as departing from the pattern seen in other decapods. While ecdysteroids in other crabs reach a peak just prior to ecdysis, those of C. sapidus were claimed to reach their maxima after ecdysis. The data reported here challenge these findings. Ecdysteroids were measured in hemolymph, ovaries, and whole animal extracts of blue crabs using a radioimmunoassay. In hemolymph and whole animals, ecdysteroid levels rose during premolt to a maximum at stage D/sub 3/. Ecdysteroids declined rapidly from late premolt stage D/sub 4/ through postmolt stage A/sub 2/, increased slightly at postmolt stage B, and returned to low levels where they remained during intermolt stage C. Ecdysteroid levels in males and immature females were not significantly different but mature females, having reached a terminal anecdysis, had signifincatly lower ecdysteroid levels. Ovaries of mature females accumulated ecdysteroids during vitellogenesis while the concentration of ecdysteroids in hemolymph was low.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6355159
• Journal Information: Biol. Bull.; (United States), Vol. 165
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CRABS
MOLTING
TISSUE EXTRACTS
STEROID HORMONES
RADIOIMMUNOASSAY
OVARIES
SPECIES DIVERSITY
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY
CRUSTACEANS
DECAPODS
FEMALE GENITALS
GONADS
HORMONES
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
MATERIALS
ORGANS
RADIOASSAY
TRACER TECHNIQUES
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques