Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US 1-N, Fort Pierce, FL, 34946, USA.
Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, 2937 SW 27th Avenue, Suite 203, Miami, FL, 33133, USA.
Lipids. 2021 Jan;56(1):81-91. doi: 10.1002/lipd.12278. Epub 2020 Sep 4.
In order to encourage the survival of both captive and wild populations of bonefish (Albula vulpes), a deeper understanding of the species' early developmental characteristics is necessary. During ontogenesis, bonefish utilize lipids as a source of energy before the start of exogenous feeding. The goal of this study is to gain insight into the energetic needs of bonefish leptocephalus larvae in the post-hatch larval stage. Broodstock were collected in the wild and hormone induced. Spawning yielded eggs that were fertilized and were then incubated until hatching. Larval development was monitored throughout the duration of the trial until all larvae perished. Samples of larval tissue were taken to the lab for lipid analysis and composition was compared at different developmental stages. Larval lipid composition was significantly different across sample groups showing a change in lipid content related to development. After hatching, larvae gradually depleted wax esters-sterol ester (WE-SE) reserves over a period of 4 days, while simultaneously increasing hydrocarbon (HC). The role of WE-SE is seemingly tied to both buoyancy and energy reserves due to its high abundance immediately post-hatch and selective catabolism. As larvae weaned off of the nutrition provided by the yolk, exogenous feeding began to diversify lipid composition and overall lipid reserves were depleted. Future directions included the development of optimal larval feeds based on this analysis in order to gain more insight into the nutritional needs and requirements during the critical leptocephalus stages.
为了鼓励骨鱼（Albula vulpes）的圈养和野生种群的生存，我们需要深入了解该物种早期发育的特征。在个体发生过程中，骨鱼在开始外源性摄食之前利用脂肪作为能量来源。本研究的目的是深入了解孵化后仔鱼阶段骨鱼幼体的能量需求。亲鱼在野外收集并通过激素诱导产卵。产卵后将受精卵进行孵化。在整个试验过程中监测幼体发育，直至所有幼体死亡。采集幼体组织样本进行脂质分析，并比较不同发育阶段的组成。不同样本组的幼体脂质组成存在显著差异，表明脂质含量与发育有关。孵化后，幼虫在 4 天的时间里逐渐耗尽蜡酯-甾醇酯（WE-SE）储备，同时增加碳氢化合物（HC）。WE-SE 的作用似乎与浮力和能量储备有关，因为其在孵化后立即大量存在，并发生选择性分解代谢。随着幼虫逐渐消耗卵黄提供的营养，外源性摄食开始使脂质组成多样化，整体脂质储备被耗尽。未来的研究方向包括根据这一分析开发最佳的幼鱼饲料，以更深入地了解在关键的幼鱼阶段的营养需求。
