Effect of starvation and feeding on respiratory metabolism in Leptomysis lingvura (G.O. Sars, 1866)

Abstract

The mysid, Leptomysis lingvura, is found along east coast of Gran Canaria (Spain) swimming in the plankton above sandy bottoms at depths between 5 and 15 m. As with many mysids around the world, it is an important component in the food chain for many coastal fish and could be a potential live prey for use in aquaculture (Herrera et al., 2011; Jumars, 2007). We studied L. lingvura's survival and reproduction in captivity and determined its suitability for physiological and biochemical research in the laboratory. This mysid proved to adapt well to aquarium life and to be highly suitable for studying respiratory metabolism. This investigation documents the effect of feeding and starvation on the enzymology and physiology of respiration. The research strategy was to follow a simple time course of both the oxygen consumption rate of whole mysids and the activity of their respiratory electron transport system (ETS). Respiration (R) decreased logarithmically during starvation whereas the ETS activity remained constant. As a consequence, the ratio of R to ETS activity decreased along with the respiration. Superimposed on the declining respiration rate was an unforeseen diel rhythm that elevated R during the light and depressed it during the dark. The slope in the R-biomass log–log Kleiber plot in well fed mysids is close to 0.75 while for starved mysids it was lower than 0.75.