Abstract
The development of the foregut structure and the digestive function of the decapods Litopenaeus vannamei, Sesarma rectum and Callichirus major larvae and post larvae were examined. The protozoeal foregut of L. vannamei is simple, lacking a cardiopyloric valve and bearing a rudimentary filter press. In mysis, the filter press is more developed. In the juvenile stage, grooves and a small lateral tooth arise. In S. rectum, the foregut has a functional cardiopyloric valve and a filter press. The megalopal and juvenile stages of this species have a gastric mill similar to those in adult crabs. In C. major, the foregut of the zoeae is specialized, with the appearance of some rigid structures, but no gastric mill was found. Calcified structures are observed in the megalopae and they become more developed in the juvenile stage. The results support suppositions, previously reported in other studies, that feeding behavior of each larval and postlarval stage is directly related to the morphological characteristics of the foreguts.
Highlights
The features and functionality of the foreguts of decapod crustaceans were extensively examined in adult specimens, in the attempt to understand the digestive mechanism of each studied species (Meiss and Norman, 1977; Kunze and Anderson, 1979; Suthers, 1984; Skilleter and Anderson, 1986; Mikami and Takashima, 1993; Pinn et al, 1999; Jha and Homechaudhuri, 2001; Brösing et al, 2002; Castro and Bond-Buckup, 2003)
Pyloric chamber: narrow, with numerous small setae in the cardiac roof and wall; pyloric intestinal valve very elongated; filter press lacking filtration net but, with 2 blisters filling all inferior portion of the chamber bearing some setae in posterior portion; the interampullary crista with a roll of small setae in superior portion
It was not possible to observe the foregut of protozoea I, L. vannamei
Summary
The features and functionality of the foreguts of decapod crustaceans were extensively examined in adult specimens, in the attempt to understand the digestive mechanism of each studied species (Meiss and Norman, 1977; Kunze and Anderson, 1979; Suthers, 1984; Skilleter and Anderson, 1986; Mikami and Takashima, 1993; Pinn et al, 1999; Jha and Homechaudhuri, 2001; Brösing et al, 2002; Castro and Bond-Buckup, 2003). Little information was achieved for larvae and postlarvae of crustaceans. Information about the morphological development of foreguts and feeding appendages has contributed to the identification of an adequate diet in larval culture and, increasing the survival rate during the larval development (Nishida et al, 1990; Minagawa and Takashima, 1994; Abrunhosa and Kittaka, 1997a). Evidences of non-feeding behavior were observed for cultured larvae during the entire transitory stage (puelurus) for various species of the genera Panulirus, Jasus and Palinurus (Kittaka, 1988; 1994; Kittaka and Ikegami, 1988; Kittaka et al, 1997). Non-feeding behaviour in pueruli has been consistent with Nishida et al (1990), Wolfe and Felgenhauer (1991), Mikami and Takashima (1993) and Lemmens and Knott (1994), in.
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