Haemolymph inorganic ion composition, physiology and behaviour dependent on temperature and ambient magnesium concentration in early life history stages of Paralomis granulosa (Decapoda, Anomura, Lithodidae) ...

• Main Authors: Wittmann, Astrid, Storch, Daniela, Anger, Klaus, Pörtner, Hans-Otto, Sartoris, Franz-Josef
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2011
• Subjects: Experiment; Priority Programme 1158 Antarctic Research with Comparable Investigations in Arctic Sea Ice Areas SPP1158; Antarc*; Antarctic; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.788851; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.788851

Marine brachyuran and anomuran crustaceans are completely absent from the extremely cold (-1.8 °C) Antarctic continental shelf, but caridean shrimps are abundant. This has at least partly been attributed to low capacities for magnesium excretion in brachyuran and anomuran lithodid crabs ([Mg2+]HL = 20-50 mmol/L) compared to caridean shrimp species ([Mg2+]HL = 5-12 mmol/L). Magnesium has an anaesthetizing effect and reduces cold tolerance and activity of adult brachyuran crabs. We investigated whether the capacity for magnesium regulation is a factor that influences temperature-dependent activity of early ontogenetic stages of the Sub-Antarctic lithodid crab Paralomis granulosa. Ion composition (Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl-, [SO4]2-) was measured in haemolymph withdrawn from larval stages, the first and second juvenile instars (crabs I and II) and adult males and females. Magnesium excretion improved during ontogeny, but haemolymph sulphate concentration was lowest in the zoeal stages. Neither haemolymph magnesium ... : Supplement to: Wittmann, Astrid; Storch, Daniela; Anger, Klaus; Pörtner, Hans-Otto; Sartoris, Franz-Josef (2011): Temperature-dependent activity in early life stages of the stone crab Paralomis granulosa (Decapoda, Anomura, Lithodidae): A role for ionic and magnesium regulation? Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 397(1), 27-37 ...