Biology and metabolism of Glyptonotus antarcticus(Eights)(Crustacea: Isopoda) from Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica

• Main Authors: Janecki,Tomasz, Rakusa-Suszczewski,Stanislaw
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Department of Antarctic Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences/Department of Antarctic Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences 2006
• Subjects: Antarctica; Glyptonotus antarcticus; metabolism; chemoreception; King George Island; Admiralty Bay; Signy Island; Antarc*; antarcticus; Polar bioscience
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=6237; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00006237/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=6237&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

The Glyptonotus antarcticus population of Admiralty Bay is characterised by the wider range of body sizes than that from the Signy Island region. The sex ratio is similar in both populations. Females of all development stages were captured in Admiralty Bay between March and November, which confirms the lack of seasonal variation in the developmental cycle of this species. Eggs were found in marsupia of females measuring 75mm and more. The relationship between the wet weight(Ww) and the total body length(TL) is similar for immature females and males, equalling Ww=0.0154TL^<3.18> and Ww=0.0054TL^<3.42>, respectively. In the annual cycle, the basic metabolism ratio(a=R/Ww^<0.77>) of G. antarcticus is lowest in September and does not change significantly during the daily cycle. Two-, four- and six-week long starvation reduces the metabolism level by 30%, 51% and 71%, respectively. Glutamic acid at the concentration of 10mmol increases the metabolism by half, both in animals starved for 2 weeks and in freshly captured individuals. Exposure to kynurenic acid at the concentration 0.1mmol blocks further reactions to the glutamic acid.