Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences 18(4) 763-774 2019 DOI: 10.22092/ijfs.2019.118594 Effect of temperature stress on the survival of juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) Peng J.1,2; Zhao Y.L.1,2*; Xu Z.G. 2,3*; Liu B.Q.2; Duan C.C.1,2; Tang 1 Y.C. Received: January 2017 Accepted: May 2017 Abstract Eriocheir sinensis, which is an important aquaculture species, belongs to the class Crustacea. To discuss the temperature tolerance of E. sinensis, the survival rates of juvenile crabs of E. sinensis were determined in this paper using a series of temperature settings (normal temperature, 25°C, 30°C, 32°C, 34°C, 35°C, 36°C, 38°C, 40 °C). The results indicated that except the normal temperature level, mortality rate almost reached 100% at other temperatures. The time of death of all crabs at 30℃, 35℃, and 40℃ was different. All the crabs died in only 10 minutes at 40℃, while they died after 3 days and 7 days at 35 ℃ and 30℃, respectively. In addition to normal temperature conditions, minimum survival time of the juvenile crabs of E. sinensis at other temperature condition was no more than 24 h. Before the 8th day, the death rate at 30℃ and normal temperature was different, change of turning slope for concentration of NH3-N and TN was contrary. Under normal temperature, the behavior of abdomen extension was not observed in juvenile crabs but the percentage time of abdomen extension was relatively long at 25℃. This research studied the influence of temperature stress on the survival of juvenile crabs of E. sinensis to provide information reference for the production and Downloaded from jifro.ir at 9:56 +0330 on Thursday September 30th 2021 transportation of juvenile crab of E. sinensis. Keywords: Eriocheir sinensis, Temperature stress, Survival, Behavior response 1- Key Laboratory of Forestry Remote Sensing Based Big Data & Ecological Security for Hunan Province, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China 2- Engineering Research Center for Internet of Animals, Changsha 410128, China 3- Hunan Urban and Rural Ecological Planning and Restoration Engineering Research Center, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, China *Corresponding author's Email: [email protected]; [email protected] 764 Peng et al., Effect of temperature stress on the survival of… Introduction the survival mechanism of economic The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir species under extreme weather, such as sinensis) is considered to be one of the temperature, is particularly important. specific aquaculture species in China, Temperature is one of the most which belongs to Crustacea, Decapoda, important environmental factors Crapsida, Eriocheir (Pan, 2002). affecting crabs, which can affect Normally Chinese mitten crab were neuromuscular activity, respiration, cultured for two years, in the first year blood circulation and lipid metabolism it is cultured from crab larvae to button and other physiological activities (Aardt, size, and in the other year it is cultured 1993). The relationship between North to market size in ponds, reservoirs or America dungeness crab (Cancer other waters fields. So the juvenile magister) (Kondzela and Shirley, 1993; crabs of E. sinensis are also known as Sulkin and Mckeen, 1996), Red king buttony crab. Chinese mitten crabs can crab (Kamchatka cancer) in the North survive in various environments, such Pacific (Shirley and Shirley 1989; as estuarine waters, freshwater lakes Kittaka and Onoda 2002), North and ponds. In addition to China, the American blue crab (Callinectes Chinese mitten crab is also distributed sapidus) (Leffler, 1972; Fisher, 1999), in Europe and the Americas (Zou and Mud crab (Scylla serrata) (Hamasaki, Si-Fa, 2002). Chinese mitten crabs are 2003; Ruscoe et al., 2004), Distant sea widely distributed in the Yangtze River, crab (Portunus pelagicus) (Bryars and Liaohe, Oujiang and other waters in Havenhand, 2006) and temperature has China, of which Yangtze River is the been reported in a large number of most excellent quality. Due to its high literature. While, at present there is little nutritional value and market demand, research on temperature tolerance of Chinese mitten crab has increasingly Chinese mitten crab, (Bo Huang et al., Downloaded from jifro.ir at 9:56 +0330 on Thursday September 30th 2021 become a promising commercial 2001) focused on the effects of species. The aquaculture industry has temperature on the E. sinensis larval been rapidly developing in many parts growth and development. The results with Chinese mitten crab aquaculture as suggested that the survival rate a pillar industry of aquaculture (Wang increases with temperature. et al., 2016). In order to know more details on the Average water temperature in the biology of Chinese mitten crab and middle and lower Yangtze River is 31- provide references for aquaculture to 35℃ in summer and 0-4℃ in winter. ensure the sustainable development of Crab grow from early March to early Chinese mitten crab industry, the November, for up to about 240 days. juvenile crab was employed as the This temperature range is very suitable research object to study the impact of for the growth of Chinese mitten crabs high temperature stress on its survival. (Zhang, 2000). With the global climate change, extreme weather is becoming Materials and methods more and more frequent. To understand 254 juvenile crabs of E. sinensis, with Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences 18(4) 2019 765 an average weight of 6-10 g, were juvenile crabs of E. sinensis to captured from Dongting Lake region in temperature precisely, an experiment China, where the crab culture was with fewer intervals of temperature was common and the crab was the main designed. Glass aquaria (44 cm×28 cm economic resource. Sampling was done ×28cm) with paving pebbles at the in April, when water temperature in bottom and 24 cm of water column was Dongting Lake is 15-23 °C. Normal used. The following temperature were body color, lively and healthy tested: normal temperature, 25℃, 30℃, individuals were chosen and reared in 32℃, 34℃, 35℃, 36℃, 38℃, 40℃. freshwater lake (112.37°E ， 29.07°N) Three female crabs and three male crabs were reared in each temperature to adapt to laboratory conditions. level. Death time of every crab was 2 weeks later, 200 juvenile crabs of E. recorded for all the levels. Besides the sinensis were divided randomly into death time, behavior response to five groups (n=40 for each group, half temperature was explored. The behavior male and half female), and transferred of the juvenile crabs of E. sinensis to five water tanks (80 cm×58 cm×40 under different temperatures was cm) for rearing. The following recorded with a Panasonic video camera temperatures were tested: 25°C, 30°C, (HDC-HS900) after 5 min for adaption. 35°C, 40°C, normal temperature (<25°C) Behavioral indicators, locomotor as the control group. Weight, carapace activity, movement of mouthparts, length, carapace width and height were cleaning of antennae, antennule measured for each crab before retraction, flicking of antennae, experiment (Montu et al., 1996). percentage time of abdomen, eyestalk Pebbles, at a diameter of 2 cm, were extension movement, and percentage placed at the bottom of the tanks time of closure behavior were Downloaded from jifro.ir at 9:56 +0330 on Thursday September 30th 2021 serving as a crab refuge. The depth of distinguished (McGaw and McMahon., the water was set at 30 cm, which was 1999). The behavior number or in accordance with field culture sustained time of above behaviors were environment. 5 g food was fed at 22:00 counted from the video. Because the every day during the experiment. At the living time was different, statistic was same time, an oxygen pump worked 8 only carried out 1 min. hours every day to supply dissolved Temperature control device (Kedibo oxygen. Water temperature was WK-SM3) was used in the experient to measured every day for normal ensure the temperatures were as temperature level and dead crabs were expected. Dissolved oxygen was also recorded for all levels. At the same measured with a portable dissolved time, pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), oxygen device (Shanghai Leici JPB- total nitrogen (TN) and total 607A). pH was measured with a phosphorus (TP) were also measured portable pH device (Shanghai Leici every three days. PHS-3E). NH -N, TN, TP were checked In order to determine the threshold of 3 by standard method (Wei et al., 2008). 766 Peng et al., Effect of temperature stress on the survival of… An independent sample test was crabs was 2.409±0.270 cm, the average employed to analyze the role of sex and carapace width of female crabs was temperature in the survival process. 2.617±0.284 cm, and the average height Temperature control study using model at withers of female crabs was behavior analysis. 1.262±0.144 cm; the average carapace length of male crabs was 2.465±0.265 Result cm, the average carapace width of male Morphology of juvenile crabs of crabs was 2.617±0.284 cm, and the Eriocheir sinensis average height at withers of male crabs The morphological indexes of all was 1.269±0.162 cm. There were no experimental crabs were counted. The significant differences in mean carapace mean body weights of the crabs were length, width and height between the measured to be 8.543±2.555 g for females and the males (p>0.05). (Table females and 9.304±2.977 g for males, 1). the difference was significant (p<0.05). The average carapace length of female Table 1: Morphology of juvenile of Eriocheir sinensis. Carapace length(cm) Carapace width(cm) Carapace height(cm) Weight(g) Mean±SD Mean±SD Mean±SD Mean±SD Females 2.409±0.270 2.617±0.284 1.262±0.144 8.543±2.555 Males 2.465±0.265 2.628±0.291 1.269±0.162 9.304±2.977 T-test p>0.05 p>0.05 p>0.05 p<0.05* * indicates significant difference (p<0.05).