Procambrus Clarkii Research Articles

Oxidative stress responses of the crayfish Procambrus clarkii to Spiroplasma eriocheiris challenge

As a virulent pathogen, Spiroplasma eriocheiris influences most crustaceans, including the freshwater crayfish Procambrus clarkii. The antioxidant enzymes related to oxidative stress during the pathogenesis of S. eriocheiris in the primary target tissues of hepatopancreas and gills from P. clarkii were analyzed at various time intervals post-infection. H.E histopathology and in situ hybridization assays confirmed the S. eriocheiris infection and detected typical histological changes. Compared with the control group, catalase (CAT) activities in both tissues reduced significantly at the early time of S. eriocheiris challenge (P < 0.05), but recovered gradually at the late stage while still lower than the control group in the hepatopancreas (P < 0.05). A similar tendency was observed in the change of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. Acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activities increased considerably and achieved peak values at 7 days post-infection (dpi) in the hepatopancreas and 5 dpi in the gills, but decreased significantly later till 12 dpi in both tissues (P < 0.05). Peroxidase (POD) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents increased dramatically since the first day and kept a high level during the challenge course. The activities of antioxidant enzymes were generally higher in the hepatopancreas than in the gills. These results suggested that S. eriocheiris affected the antioxidative situation and caused oxidative stress and tissue damage by confusing antioxidant enzymes in P. clarkii.

Determination of pharmacokinetic parameters and tissue distribution characters of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin in Procambarus clarkii after two routes of administration

Enrofloxacin (ENR) is widely used for treatment and prevention of bacterial pathogen infections in aquatic animals. However, limited knowledge on kinetic disposal process of ENR in crayfish (Procambrus clarkii). Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore the pharmacokinetics (PK) and tissue distribution regularities of ENR and its predominate metabolite, ciprofloxian (CIP), in crayfish following oral (PO) and intramuscular (IM) administrations. ENR and CIP concentrations in crayfish hemolymph and tissues were determined using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection (UPLC-FLR). PK parameters of targets in hemolymph and tissues were calculated using WinNolin software based on the non-compartmental analysis. Comparative PK parameters in hemolymph showed that higher absorption and longer elimination half-life following IM route than PO treatment. For tissue distribution, high concentrations of ENR and CIP were found in hepatopancreas, and ENR and CIP levels in tissues after IM administration were higher than PO administration. The AUC0-∞ ratios of CIP and ENR in crayfish following PO and IM routes were only 1.25% and 3.56% (hemolymph), 0.71% and 6.89% (muscle), 1.03% and 1.75% (hepatopancreas), 0.65% and 6.46% (gill), respectively, and it indicated that crayfish has a low ability to transform ENR to CIP. ENR regimen suggested against susceptible strains with the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) below 0.72 μg/mL (IM) and 0.50 μg/mL (PO) based on the values of Cmax/MIC > 8 and AUC/MIC > 125. It could serve as reference data for ENR use in crayfish and provide valuable information for the better utilization of ENR in aquatic animals.

Procambrus clarkii (Crustacea: Cambaridae) a Biological Control Agent against four intermediate host snails in Egypt

Heterophyasis is a chronic parasitic disease infecting fish eaten by man. One of strategies to eradicate parasitic diseases is the bio-control of its vector snails. Lab experiments and field survey have been carried out to investigate the impact and the relationship between the exotic crayfish; Procambarus clarkii, two freshwater snails (Pirenella conica and Cleopatra bulimoides) and other two land snails (Monacha cartusiana and Eobania vermiculata) in Egypt. In the Lab, these snails and clover Lactuca sativa species were reported to serve as food for freshwater crayfish. The results of the experimental Lab indicated that the vector snails; Pirenella conica and Eobania vermiculata were the type of food of first choice for the crayfish after clover followed by Cleopatra bulimoides but P. clarkii show no preference against Monacha cartusiana as type of food. So our investigations indicated that P. clarkii can effectively control or eliminate certain freshwater snail species, including those involved in the transmission of human Heterophyasis. Therefore, P. clarkii appeared to offer hope as a biological control agent of snail-transmitted diseases in selected habitats in Egypt.

Selenium–lead interactions in crawfish (Procambrus clarkii) in a controlled laboratory environment

To determine whether the relationship between selenium and lead is one of an antagonistic or synergistic nature, experiments were conducted on the freshwater crustacean crawfish or crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Crawfish were exposed to a known concentration of lead, dissected then analyzed to determine the accumulation of lead and found as follows: gills>exoskeleton>organs>edible meat. Duplicates of the lead exposed crawfish were exposed to a concentration of approximately 10ppm (mg/L) selenium for a week to determine any adverse physiological effects. Analysis of the selenium exposed crawfish revealed time dependent and tissue specific adsorption of selenium identical to the concentrations of the lead exposed crawfish: gills>exoskeleton>organs>edible meat.After exposure to selenium, the crawfish were still living in a complete state of paralysis for seven days. Duplicates were placed in pure water to determine the ability of the crawfish to purge the selenium and regain mobility. Within 24h of purging, eighty-eight percent of the paralyzed crawfish had regained full motor skills. Analysis of the purged crawfish showed a significant decrease in the concentration of selenium in the chitin rich exoskeleton and gills. However, the lead concentration in the gills and exoskeleton of the purged versus non-purged crawfish did not show any significant decrease indicating that the bond between the chitin and lead is much stronger than the bond between the selenium and chitin and/or lead. Proposed mechanisms for each bond are presented in this research.

Investigation of Crawfish (Procambrus Clarkii) Shells for Uptake and Removal of Lead in Water

The use of ground crawfish (Procambrus clarkii) shells for the uptake and removal of Pb ions in water was investigated. Using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry, the samples were analyzed for various concentrations of Pb at three different volumes of 40 mL, 500 mL, and 3000 mL. The results showed that with an increase in volume of water, the capacity to remove Pb by the crawfish exoskeleton shell powder decreased. However, the Pb absorption by the same amount of shell powder in all the phases was good in terms of efficiency. The phase III study (3000 mL of water) showed that 0.5 g of crawfish absorbed the maximum amount of Pb. Moreover, both raw and boiled crawfish shells have almost the same capacity to uptake Pb from water.

Induced chemical defenses in a freshwater macrophyte suppress herbivore fitness and the growth of associated microbes

The freshwater macrophyte Cabomba caroliniana induces a chemical defense when attacked by either the crayfish Procambrus clarkii or the snail Pomacea canaliculata. Induction by either consumer lowers the palatability of the plant to both consumers. When offered food ad libitum, snails feeding on non-induced C. caroliniana grew 2.6-2.7 times more than those feeding on induced C. caroliniana. Because snails fed less on induced plants, this could be a behavioral effect (reduced feeding), a physiological effect of the induced metabolites on the consumer, or both. To assess these possibilities, we made artificial diets with lipid extracts of induced versus non-induced C. caroliniana and restricted control snails to consuming only as much as treatment snails consumed. Growth measured as shell diameter was significantly lower on the diet containing extract from induced, as opposed to non-induced, plants; change in snail mass was more variable and showed a similar, but non-significant, trend. Thus, snails may reduce feeding on induced plants to avoid suppression of fitness. The induced defenses also suppressed growth of co-occurring microbes that might attack the plant through herbivore-generated feeding scars. When two bacteria and three fungi isolated from C. caroliniana surfaces were cultured with the lipid extract from induced and non-induced C. caroliniana, both extracts inhibited the microbes, but the induced extract was more potent against three of the five potential pathogens. Thus, induced plant defenses can act against both direct consumers and microbes that might invade the plant indirectly through herbivore-generated wounds.

A Laboratory Controlled Study of Uptake of Copper, Lead, and Zinc in Crawfish (Procambrus clarkii) by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry

In a laboratory controlled study, the uptake of various concentrations of parts per million (up to a maximum of 100 ppm) of copper, lead, and zinc in crawfish was studied. All three metals were absorbed by the crawfish with (in general) an increase in metal concentration showing an increase in metal absorption levels. Copper and zinc reached an optimum at 32 ppm, and 52 ppm added, respectively, where as lead continued accumulation with increasing lead concentration. Higher concentrations of lead were absorbed compared to copper and zinc.

Determination of cadmium copper, iron, nickel, lead and zinc in crawfish [Procambrus clarkii] by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry: a study over the 2009 season in Southwest Louisiana

Following a mini-review of crawfish aquaculture, the concentrations (mean in micrograms of analyte per gram of dried sample ± 95% confidence interval, range) determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry of cadmium (0.49 ± 0.14, 0.34–0.79 ), copper (34.9 ± 5.3, 23.8–44.2), nickel (1.83 ± 0.54, 1.08–3.39), lead (18.0 ± 4.0, 9.9–23.), iron, and zinc (47.3 ± 4.6, 41.3–55.8) were relatively constant with a slight increase in iron (620.4 ± 205.8, 328.8–1072.8) in whole crawfish in a season of 4 months (February through May 2009) in Southwest Louisiana. The temperature of the crawfish ponds was monitored weekly but had no effect on the metal concentration in the crawfish trial. The copper and zinc concentrations in the crawfish pond soil decreased with increasing temperature. The other four metals showing no effect of temperature variations (increase). A comparison with a previous study showed no significant changes in the metal concentrations in the crawfish.

Determination of Copper, Iron, and Zinc in Crayfish (Procambrus clarkii) by Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectrometry

ABSTRACT Inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry was used to determine copper, iron, and zinc in both whole Crayfish and tail meat of crayfish from selected areas in southwestern Louisiana. Also included was a comparison between male and female crayfish. Results showed no significant difference between male and female crayfish and individuals from different sites. Iron was approximately four times greater in concentration for whole crayfish compared with tail meat.

Determination of Heavy Metals in Crawfish (Procambrus clarkii) by Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectrometry: A Study over the Season in Southwest Louisiana

Six metals (cadmium, copper, nickel, lead, iron, and zinc) were determined by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry in crawfish (tails and whole bodies) and soil in the vicinity of the crawfish, in a season of 4 months (February through May) in southwest Louisiana. Cadmium and lead were not found in the tail or whole body. Nickel was found in some samples of tail but mostly in the April and May samples. Copper, iron, and zinc were found in both tail and whole body of the crawfish. Limited soil sampling showed no cadmium, nickel, or copper in soil, but levels of iron, lead, and zinc were detected.

Mercury in fish from three rift valley lakes (Turkana, Naivasha and Baringo), Kenya, East Africa

Total mercury (THg) concentrations were measured for various fish species from Lakes Turkana, Naivasha and Baringo in the rift valley of Kenya. The highest THg concentration (636 ng g −1 wet weight) was measured for a piscivorous tigerfish Hydrocynus forskahlii from Lake Turkana. THg concentrations for the Perciformes species, the Nile perch Lates niloticus from Lake Turkana and the largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides from Lake Naivasha ranged between 4 and 95 ng g −1. The tilapiine species in all lakes, including the Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, had consistently low THg concentrations ranging between 2 and 25 ng g −1. In Lake Naivasha, the crayfish species, Procambrus clarkii, had THg concentrations similar to those for the tilapiine species from the same lake, which is consistent with their shared detritivore diet. THg concentrations in all fish species were usually consistent with their known trophic position, with highest concentrations in piscivores and declining in omnivores, insectivores and detritivores. One exception is the detritivore Labeo cylindricus from Lake Baringo, which had surprisingly elevated THg concentrations (mean=75 ng g −1), which was similar to those for the top trophic species ( Clarias and Protopterus) in the same lake. Except for two Hydrocynus forskahlii individuals from Lake Turkana, which had THg concentrations near or above the international marketing limit of 500 ng g −1, THg concentrations in the fish were generally below those of World Health Organization's recommended limit of 200 ng g −1 for at-risk groups.

The characterization of a haemolymph methyl farnesoate binding protein and the assessment of methyl farnesoate metabolism by the haemolymph and other tissues from Procambrus clarkii

The haemolymph of Procambrus clarkii does not contain detectable levels of methyl farnesoate esterase activity. Homogenates of the hepatopancreas and the vas deferens contain significant methyl farnesoate esterase activity which is sensitive to inhibition by diisopropylfluorophosphate. This activity may not be specific to methyl farnesoate since nonspecific esterase activity is also inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate. A methyl farnesoate binding protein, 93 ± 3 kDa MW, has been identified in the haemolymph using the photoaffinity analog [ 3H]FDK and both native and SDS-PAGE. The binding kinetics of this protein were characterized with [ 3H] methyl farnesoate and the K d for methyl farnesoate was found to be 320 ± 150 nM. Competition experiments demonstrated that this protein has a higher affinity toward methyl farnesoate than farnesoic acid or juvenile hormone III and is therefore a methyl farnesoate binding protein.