Food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of Asian horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas

Nowadays, the numbers of wild horseshoe crab harvested for study are increasing. However, general information on Tachyplues gigas satiation level, gut transit time, defecation pattern and acclimation period in captivity during holding period are still scanty. The aims of this study are to identify...

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Main Authors: Md Razak, Mohd Razali, Kassim, Zaleha
Format: Article
Language:English
English
Published: Akademi Sains Malaysia 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/1/70245_Food%20Intake%2C%20Gut%20Transit%20Time%20and%20Defecation_article.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/2/70245_Food%20Intake%2C%20Gut%20Transit%20Time%20and%20Defecation_scopus.pdf
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author Md Razak, Mohd Razali
Kassim, Zaleha
author_facet Md Razak, Mohd Razali
Kassim, Zaleha
author_sort Md Razak, Mohd Razali
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
description Nowadays, the numbers of wild horseshoe crab harvested for study are increasing. However, general information on Tachyplues gigas satiation level, gut transit time, defecation pattern and acclimation period in captivity during holding period are still scanty. The aims of this study are to identify T. gigas food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern during the rearing period by introducing the crabs with gastropod (Turritella sp.), crustacean (Squilla sp.) and bivalve (Meretrix meretrix ) in several feed ratios; 0.2%, 0.6%, 1.0%, 1.4%, 1.8% and 2.2% expressed of crabs’ body weight. The defecation of T. gigas was monitored for every three hours after being fed to measure their gut transit time and defecation pattern. Male crabs did not significantly eat until two weeks in captivity, while the females started to eat in the early first week after being harvested from the wild. The satiation levels of the females (gastropod: 1.8%±0.04; crustacean: 1.7%±0.08; bivalve: 1.8%±0.06) were significantly higher than the males’ (gastropod: 1.7%±0.08; crustacean: 1.4%±0.02; bivalve: 1.6%±0.05) for all feed types. Gut transit time of the males were significantly longer than the females’. Male crabs took shorter time (1±0 hr) to achieve their satiation than female crabs (2±0 hrs). This study provides useful information for T. gigas rearing activity and for designing a better rearing system.
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spelling iium-702452019-01-28T08:33:18Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/ Food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of Asian horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas Md Razak, Mohd Razali Kassim, Zaleha Q Science (General) QH541.13 Ecology QL Zoology Nowadays, the numbers of wild horseshoe crab harvested for study are increasing. However, general information on Tachyplues gigas satiation level, gut transit time, defecation pattern and acclimation period in captivity during holding period are still scanty. The aims of this study are to identify T. gigas food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern during the rearing period by introducing the crabs with gastropod (Turritella sp.), crustacean (Squilla sp.) and bivalve (Meretrix meretrix ) in several feed ratios; 0.2%, 0.6%, 1.0%, 1.4%, 1.8% and 2.2% expressed of crabs’ body weight. The defecation of T. gigas was monitored for every three hours after being fed to measure their gut transit time and defecation pattern. Male crabs did not significantly eat until two weeks in captivity, while the females started to eat in the early first week after being harvested from the wild. The satiation levels of the females (gastropod: 1.8%±0.04; crustacean: 1.7%±0.08; bivalve: 1.8%±0.06) were significantly higher than the males’ (gastropod: 1.7%±0.08; crustacean: 1.4%±0.02; bivalve: 1.6%±0.05) for all feed types. Gut transit time of the males were significantly longer than the females’. Male crabs took shorter time (1±0 hr) to achieve their satiation than female crabs (2±0 hrs). This study provides useful information for T. gigas rearing activity and for designing a better rearing system. Akademi Sains Malaysia 2018 Article NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/1/70245_Food%20Intake%2C%20Gut%20Transit%20Time%20and%20Defecation_article.pdf application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/2/70245_Food%20Intake%2C%20Gut%20Transit%20Time%20and%20Defecation_scopus.pdf Md Razak, Mohd Razali and Kassim, Zaleha (2018) Food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of Asian horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas. ASM Science Journal, 11 (2). pp. 56-66. ISSN 1823-6782 https://www.akademisains.gov.my/asmsj/images/asm_science_journal/ASMSJ_11_2_2018/1_food-intake-gut.pdf
spellingShingle Q Science (General)
QH541.13 Ecology
QL Zoology
Md Razak, Mohd Razali
Kassim, Zaleha
Food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of Asian horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas
title Food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of Asian horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas
title_full Food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of Asian horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas
title_fullStr Food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of Asian horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas
title_full_unstemmed Food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of Asian horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas
title_short Food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of Asian horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas
title_sort food intake, gut transit time and defecation pattern of asian horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas
topic Q Science (General)
QH541.13 Ecology
QL Zoology
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/1/70245_Food%20Intake%2C%20Gut%20Transit%20Time%20and%20Defecation_article.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/70245/2/70245_Food%20Intake%2C%20Gut%20Transit%20Time%20and%20Defecation_scopus.pdf