Changes in the Body Composition of Adult Male Southern Rock Lobster, Jasus Edwardsii, During Starvation‪.‬

ABSTRACT This experiment determined the effect of starvation on the chemical composition and tissue histology of the abdominal muscle and digestive gland in adult male southern rock lobsters Jasus edwardsii during 14 and 28 days. Individual lobsters (n = 6) were stocked into 34-L tanks (17.5 [+ or -] 1.5[degrees]C) and either led or starved over 14 and 28 days and also compared with lobsters (n = 6) killed for initial samples at the start of the experiment. Starved lobsters showed a significant reduction in crude lipid from the digestive gland at day 14 and from the abdominal muscle at day 28 when compared with the initial population. Histologic investigation of the digestive gland showed a lower density of lipid droplets in both day 14 and day 28 starved lobsters, with this depletion apparently causing structural damage to the digestive tubule in lobsters starved for 28 days. Histologic investigation of glycogen levels in digestive tubules showed a decline with starvation. Available energy was significantly affected by the crude lipid content of both organs although the digestive gland contained significantly higher absolute amounts. Starvation forces the use of body reserves to maintain metabolic functions; the order and quantity of depletion indicated the minimum requirements for survival and highlighted differences in the strategies used by crustaceans. KEY WORDS: glycogen, histology, Jasus edwardsii, lipid, southern rock lobster, starvation