Sains Malaysiana 48(2)(2019): 325–328

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2019-4802-08

Spermiogram of Wild and Captive Malaysian Horseshoe Crab (Tachypleus gigas) from Pantai Balok, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

(Spermiogram Belangkas Liar dan Kurungan Malaysia (Tachypleus gigas) dari Pantai Balok, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia)

HASSAN I. SHEIKH¹, KAMARUZZAMAN, B.Y.^2*, AKBAR JOHN, B.³, ZALEHA, K.² & SOLACHUDDIN J.A. ICHWAN⁴

¹School of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

²Department of Marine Science, Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia

³INOCEM Research Station, (IRS), Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia

⁴Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia

Received: 29 May 2018/Accepted: 12 October 2018

ABSTRACT

Horseshoe crab (HSC) populations around the world are declining in recent decades mainly due to destruction of breeding grounds and habitats. A short-term solution for this problem is captive breeding and artificial rearing. This experiment aimed at looking for a source of good sperm donors for in-vitro fertilization and captive breeding. Tachypleus gigas were collected from Balok Beach, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. Crabs were divided to wild and captive groups. Wild T. gigas sperm was collected on the same day, while sperm of captive T. gigas was collected after 5 months of captivity to assess captivity effect on sperm traits. Sperm density and sperm viability were studied and correlated to morphometric measurements. The results indicated that T. gigas from Balok is a good sperm donor. Captivity was found to affect sperm traits where sperm density dropped significantly and sperm viability increased slightly. Intraocular width to carapace width ratio (IO-Car) of the HSC body correlated to sperm density, hence can be used as an indicator for donor selection during sampling. In conclusion, T. gigas from Balok can be used as a sperm donor for in-vitro fertilization for T. gigas propagation.

Keywords: Captive rearing; morphometric; sperm traits; Tachypleus gigas

ABSTRAK

Populasi belangkas di seluruh dunia semakin menurun terutamanya akibat daripada pemusnahan kawasan pembiakan dan habitat semula jadinya. Satu langkah jangka pendek untuk mengatasi masalah ini ialah melalui pembiakbakaan kurungan dan pemeliharaan tiruan. Uji kaji ini bertujuan untuk mencari sumber penderma sperma yang baik untuk persenyawaan in-vitro dan pembiakbakaan kurungan. Tachypleus gigas telah diambil dari pantai Balok, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. Belangkas telah dibahagikan kepada kumpulan liar dan dalam kurungan. Sperma T. gigas liar telah dikumpulkan pada hari yang sama ia ditemui, sementara sperma T. gigas kurungan dikumpul selepas 5 bulan pemeliharaan dalam kurungan untuk menilai kesan pemeliharaan kurungan ke atas trait sperma. Kepadatan dan kedayahidupan sperma dikaji dan dihubungkaitkan dengan ukuran morfometri. Keputusan kajian menunjukkan T. gigas dari Balok adalah penderma sperma yang baik. Pemeliharaan kurungan dilihat memberikan kesan negatif kepada trait sperma kerana kepadatan sperma didapati menurun secara signifikan walaupun ada peningkatan minimum kedayahidupan sperma. Nisbah panjang introkular kepada karapas belangkas adalah berhubungkait dengan kepadatan sperma dan boleh digunakan sebagai penunjuk untuk pemilihan haiwan penderma di lapangan. Kesimpulannya, T. gigas dari Balok berpotensi digunakan sebagai penderma sperma untuk persenyawaan in-vitro bagi tujuan pembiakan T. gigas.

Kata kunci: Morfometri; pemeliharaan kurungan; Tachypleus gigas; trait sperma

REFERENCES

Akbar John, B., Kamaruzzaman, B.Y., Jalal, K.C.A., Hassan, S. & Rozihan, M. 2017. Effect of differential feed on the molting success and survival of horseshoe crab trilobite (Tachypleus gigas). Malaysian Applied Biology 46(1): 21-25.

Carmichael, R.H. & Brush, E. 2012. Three decades of horseshoe crab rearing: A review of conditions for captive growth and survival. Reviews in Aquaculture 4(1): 32-43.

Chen, Y., Lau, C.W., Cheung, S.G., Ke, C. & Shin, P.K. 2010. Enhanced growth of juvenile Tachypleus tridentatus (Chelicerata: Xiphosura) in the laboratory: A step towards population restocking for conservation of the species. Aquatic Biology 11: 37-46.

Coates, C.J., Bradford, E.L., Krome, C.A. & Nairn, J. 2012. Effect of temperature on biochemical and cellular properties of captive Limulus polyphemus. Aquaculture 334: 30-38.

Eisler, R. 2009. Compendium of Trace Metals and Marine Biota: Volume 1: Plants and Invertebrates. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science.

Fatihah, S., Jasmani, S., Abol-Munafi, A., Noorbaiduri, S., Muhd-Farouk, H. & Ikhwanuddin, M. 2016. Development of a sperm cryopreservation protocol for the mud spiny lobster, Panulirus polyphagus. Aquaculture 462: 56-63.

Hajeb, P., Christianus, A., Zadeh, S.S. & Saad, C. 2009. Sperm attachment on the egg of Malaysian king crab, Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda. In Biology and Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs, edited by Tanacredi, J.T., Botton, M.L. & Smith, D. Boston, MA: Springer. pp. 237-247.

Hajeb, P., Sh, S.Z., Christianus, A., Arshad, A. & Saad, C.R. 2005. Growth stages and age of horseshoe crabs, Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda and Tachypleus gigas. In The 8th Symposium of Malaysian Society of Applied Biology, edited by Arshad, A., Daud, S.K., Siraj, S.S., Guan, T.S. & Cheang, Q.S. Serdang: Malaysian Society of Applied Biology. pp. 120-124.

Hong, S., Zhang, X., Zhao, Y., Xie, Y., Zhang, Y. & Xu, H. 2009. Effect of sediment type on growth and survival of juvenile horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus). In Biology and Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs, edited by Tanacredi, J.T., Botton, M.L. & Smith, D. Boston, MA: Springer. pp. 535-540.

John, A., Yunus, K., Chowdhury, A.J.K. & Kassim, Z. 2012. TAL - A source of bacterial endotoxin detector in liquid biological samples. International Food Research Journal 19(2): 423-425.

Kamaruzzaman, B., John, B.A., Megat, M.A. & Zaleha, K. 2011. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus gigas) from Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia. Research Journal of Environmental Toxicology 5(3): 222-228.

Nelson, B.R., Satyanarayana, B., Zhong, M.J.H. & Shaharom, F. 2016. Does human infringement at the spawning grounds challenge horseshoe crab eggs and their embryogenesis? Journal of Sustainability Science and Management Special Issue 1: 1-10.

Nolan, M.W. & Smith, S.A. 2009. Clinical evaluation, common diseases, and veterinary care of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus. In Biology and Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs, edited by Tanacredi, J.T., Botton, M.L. & Smith, D. Boston, MA: Springer. pp. 479-499.

Sasson, D.A. & Brockmann, H.J. 2016. Geographic variation in sperm and ejaculate quantity and quality of horseshoe crabs. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 70(10): 1715-1725.

Sasson, D.A., Johnson, S.L. & Brockmann, H.J. 2012. The role of age on sperm traits in the American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus. Animal Behaviour 84(4): 975-981.

Tan, A., Christianus, A., Shakibazadeh, S. & Hajeb, P. 2012. Horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas (Müller, 1785) spawning population at Balok Beach, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 15(13): 610-620.

*Corresponding author; email: kama@iium.edu.my