Open AccessThe Effect of Vitamins on Weight Gain and Organ Production in the Sea Urchin, Lytechinus variegatus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)
Author(s) -
Jones Warren T.,
Hammer Hugh S.,
Powell Mickie L.,
Gibbs Victoria K.,
Lawrence John M.,
Lawrence Addison L.,
Watts Stephen A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of the world aquaculture society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1749-7345
pISSN - 0893-8849
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-7345.2011.00543.x
Subject(s) - lytechinus variegatus , biology , sea urchin , zoology , gonad , weight gain , vitamin , body weight , anatomy , endocrinology , ecology
We investigated the requirements for a commercial vitamin premix in diets of Lytechinus variegatus . Small L. variegatus (ca. 28 mm diameter) were collected from Saint Joseph Bay, Florida, and acclimated to laboratory conditions (32 ppt salinity, 22 C, 12:12 photoperiod) for 3 wk, then placed individually into plastic mesh cages ( n = 16 per treatment). Sixteen urchins were dissected to obtain initial weights of organs (gut, gonad, test). Each treatment was fed one of five semipurified diets supplemented with levels of a commercial shrimp vitamin premix ranging from 0 to 0.9% dry weight. At 4‐wk intervals, wet weights and test diameters were measured. At 16 wk, urchins were dissected and organs weighed. Significant weight gain and 100% survival was observed with all diets. At 16 wk, urchins fed 0% vitamin premix exhibited no noticeable pathology but had significantly less weight gain than those fed the 0.6% vitamin premix. Those fed the 0.6% vitamin premix had significantly greater weight gain than all other diets ( P < 0.0001). Gonad weights increased in all treatments, but did not vary significantly. Under the conditions of this study, L. variegatus exhibited a satisfactory nutritional response. Experiments are planned to determine specific dietary vitamin requirements for L. variegatus .