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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 60(8)

Spatial and temporal variation in lipid and fatty acid profiles of western rock lobster pueruli at first settlement: biochemical indicators of diet and nutritional status

A. J. Limbourn A B E , R. C. Babcock B , D. J. Johnston C , P. D. Nichols D and B. Knott A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.

B CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Wealth from Oceans Flagship, Private Bag No. 5, Wembley, Perth, WA 6913, Australia.

C Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, PO Box 20, North Beach, Perth, WA 6920, Australia.

D CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Food Futures Flagship, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: andrew.limbourn@gmail.com

Marine and Freshwater Research 60(8) 810-823 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF08244
Submitted: 26 August 2008  Accepted: 1 January 2009   Published: 27 August 2009

Abstract

Rock lobster species are found worldwide and have a life history that includes development through a planktonic phyllosoma followed by a nektonic non-feeding puerulus that relies on stored energy during recruitment into near-shore habitats. Recruitment to adult populations of western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus) is highly variable and is likely to be strongly influenced by shelf width and oceanic conditions affecting cross-shelf transport and nutrition. Since the nutritional status of newly settled pueruli will reflect the phyllosoma feeding environment and distance swum, we studied levels of lipid, fatty acid (FA) and protein of 422 pueruli and 79 first instar juveniles from four Western Australian locations. Lipid levels generally were inversely related to shelf width but were variable, suggesting pueruli may travel complex trajectories to coastal settlement. Lipid and FA composition of pueruli were consistent with spatial and seasonal variation in Leeuwin Current and coastal productivity regimes. Seasonal differences in FA composition occurred regardless of the year of settlement. Pueruli had lower lipid levels during ENSO years, when recruitment tends to be lower also. Measures of puerulus nutritional status appear to provide valuable insights into the processes underpinning recruitment in Panulirus cygnus and other commercially and ecologically important species.

Additional keywords: El Niño, La Niña, Leeuwin Current, nutritional condition, protein, puerulus settlement.


Acknowledgements

Funding for this study was provided by the Department of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia and CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research. We acknowledge the invaluable assistance provided by the Western Australian Fisheries Department, which generously provided the numerous pueruli used in this study. We also thank Danny Holdsworth for technical support during running of the GC-MS facility and acknowledge with thanks the constructive comments of Professor Boulton and two anonymous reviewers for providing helpful comments on the manuscript.


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