Title
Neurolipofuscin is a Measure of Age in the Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus, in Florida
Date of Award
8-3-2006
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Charles Derby - Chair
Second Advisor
Rodney Bertelsen
Third Advisor
Thomas Matthews
Fourth Advisor
Matthew Grober
Abstract
Accurate age estimates for the commercially-important Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, would greatly enhance analyses of life history and population dynamics. Previous estimates of their age based on size and growth may be inaccurate because of variable growth in the wild. An established technique for aging crustaceans – histologically-determined lipofuscin content in the nervous system – was used on lobsters reared in the laboratory for up to five years. We verified the presence of lipofuscin in eyestalk neural tissue and described its distribution in cell cluster A of the hemiellipsoid body. Neurolipofuscin content of both sexes increased linearly over the five-year age range, with seasonal oscillations. Growth of these animals, on the other hand, showed sex differences and began to asymptote after three years. Neurolipofuscin concentrations in the two eyestalks from the same animal were similar. These results suggest that the neurolipofuscin technique will be valuable for estimating age of wild-caught P.argus.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/1059199
Recommended Citation
Maxwell, Kerry Elizabeth, "Neurolipofuscin is a Measure of Age in the Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus, in Florida." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2006.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/1059199