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EFFECTS OF SALT MARSH ALTOSID EXPOSURE ON FEMALE GROWTH & PRODUCTION IN GULF SAND FIDDLER CRAB, UCA PANACEA
Citation:
Tuberty, S. R., S. F. Nates, AND X. Zhong. EFFECTS OF SALT MARSH ALTOSID EXPOSURE ON FEMALE GROWTH & PRODUCTION IN GULF SAND FIDDLER CRAB, UCA PANACEA. Presented at 62nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists, New Orleans, LA, 4-7 April, 2001.
Description:
Effects of Salt Marsh Altosid(R) Exposure on Female Growth and Reproduction in the Gulf Sand Fiddler Crab, Uca panacea (Abstract). Presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Southern Biologists, 4-7 July 2001, New Orleans, LA. 1 p.
Adult Uca panacea were placed into six estuarine ponds (250 females, 100 males per pond) to determine the effects of the insect juvenile hormone analog, methoprene. Duplicate reference ponds, low-dose ponds (22 g AltosidO/pond/application) and high-dose ponds (44 g AltosidO/pond/application) were utilized. Monthly sub-samples were collected by pitfall traps. Secondary vitellogenesis (Vtg), or advanced egg maturity, was observed in all classes 15 mm. Peak egg production occurred in July for the 15 mm class while those classes > 15 mm peaked in August. Females that were exposed to methoprene exhibited increased percentages of
secondary Vtg early in the season (June and July). Although, both exposure levels resulted in reduced percentage of total vitellogenic females (primary and secondary Vtg) in three of the five months with a 62% reduction in low-dose exposed females and no second egg production as seen in reference females in September. Reduced ovarian index was observed in low-dose and high-dose exposures (-16% and -10.2%, respectively) when compared to the reference group at the peak of ovarian maturation. Reducing number of reproducing females, fecundity, and brood releases per season could seriously diminish reproductive value of female crabs chronically exposed to this juvenile hormone analog.