Can color-related traits in the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) be improved through quantitative genetic inheritance?

Abstract

The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) is a commercially important aquaculture species in East Asia. The color of E. sinensis is one of the major factors affecting consumer acceptability market prices. Many crustaceans have wide color diversity, but the heritability of crustacean color remains unknown. Accordingly, intermediate to high color heritability would render possible genetic improvement of color. We report the genetic parameters of color-related traits of the carapace, hepatopancreas, and ovaries of E. sinensis. Offspring from 26 full-sib families were reared in a common environment until they reached maturity. The parentage of the 678 individuals was identified from 25 full-sib families using 10 microsatellite markers. The color parameters (L* [lightness], a* [redness], b* [yellowness], dE* [color difference]) of the carapace, hepatopancreas, and ovaries had very low heritabilities. L* and b* had the strongest positive genetic and phenotypic correlation in the hepatopancreas, while dE* and b* had the strongest positive genetic and phenotypic correlation in the ovaries. The genetic and phenotypic correlation between dE* and L* was strongest in the fresh carapace, albeit negatively so, while the genetic and phenotypic correlation between dE* and a* was strongest in cooked carapace. These results show that E. sinensis carapace, hepatopancreas, and ovaries have very low color heritabilities, indicating no avenues for potential genetic selective improvement of E. sinensis tissue color.