Methyl farnesoate controls adult male morphogenesis in the crayfish, Procambarus clarkii

Laufer H., DEMİR N. , Pan X., Stuart J., Ahl J.

JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY, vol.51, no.4, pp.379-384, 2005 (Journal Indexed in SCI) identifier identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 51 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2005
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2005.02.007
  • Title of Journal : JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY
  • Page Numbers: pp.379-384

Abstract

Adult male crayfish Procambarus clarkii exist in two morphotypes. They continue to molt as adults, switching between Form Is and Form IIs. Form Is are primary reproductive types, with large chelae and spines on the ischiopodites of the third and fourth pair of walking legs. Form IIs are non-reproductive types with smaller chelae and no spines on the ischiopodites. We investigated the hormonal control of these transitions in two ways, by eyestalk ablation and by methyl farnesoate (MF) treatments. Eyestalk ablation accelerates molting and increases MF levels in the blood. MF is a hormone that regulates both reproduction and morphogenesis. MF concentrations were determined in two ways. The hemolymph samples were extracted first, then purified, using normal phase HPLC. The fractions containing MF were collected and analyzed for MF concentration, utilizing both internal and external standards by GC/MS. The other hemolymph samples were analyzed from individual animals by HPLC. The concentrations of ecdysteroids were determined by radioimmunoassay.