Publicação
A new home for the long-snouted seahorse : Hippocampus guttulatus : breeding in captivity to preserve in the wild
| Resumo: | Habitat degradation and intensive exploitation are threatening seahorse populations worldwide. Captive breeding may be essential to replace harvesting of natural populations and provide an alternative source of seahorses for commercial trade and supplementation programs in the wild. The present investigation evaluates the potential of Hippocampus guttulatus culture as a tool for seahorse conservation. The main goals of this study were to optimize reproduction and juvenile rearing in captivity, and to evaluate the effects of captive breeding on the reproductive success of the species. Breeding the long‐snouted seahorse in captivity proved to be a challenging but promising goal to achieve. High water flow conditions, great water columns depths, large holdfast availability, low stocking densities, balanced sex ratios, large size mates and diets rich in essential fatty acids were important to improve seahorse husbandry and reproduction. Hippocampus guttulatus juveniles were born at an exceptionally nutritionally depleted state and presented low survival rates in the first month of life. The high monounsaturated fat content and low docosahexaenoic acid level of Artemia nauplii proved to be unsuitable to fulfill the high polyunsaturated requirements of the juveniles. Optimization of the rearing system and prey quality may however improve juvenile survival. Captive breeding had a strong impact on the reproductive performance of the long‐snouted seahorse, decreasing the number, size, condition and nutritional reserves of the juveniles and, consequently, their ability to survive and to tolerate stressful conditions. The poor reproductive performance and low survival rates of captive seahorses may jeopardize the economic viability of commercial production and the success of supplementation programs in the wild, but should not be discourage. Further research that incorporates the knowledge acquired in this investigation is expected to improve the success of H. guttulatus culture and to allow developing a suitable protocol for this species. |
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| Autores principais: | Jesus, Filipa Faleiro de, 1981- |
| Assunto: | Hippocampus guttulatus Cavalo marinho Reprodução Cativeiro Conservação Teses de doutoramento - 2011 |
| Ano: | 2011 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | tese de doutoramento |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
| Resumo: | Habitat degradation and intensive exploitation are threatening seahorse populations worldwide. Captive breeding may be essential to replace harvesting of natural populations and provide an alternative source of seahorses for commercial trade and supplementation programs in the wild. The present investigation evaluates the potential of Hippocampus guttulatus culture as a tool for seahorse conservation. The main goals of this study were to optimize reproduction and juvenile rearing in captivity, and to evaluate the effects of captive breeding on the reproductive success of the species. Breeding the long‐snouted seahorse in captivity proved to be a challenging but promising goal to achieve. High water flow conditions, great water columns depths, large holdfast availability, low stocking densities, balanced sex ratios, large size mates and diets rich in essential fatty acids were important to improve seahorse husbandry and reproduction. Hippocampus guttulatus juveniles were born at an exceptionally nutritionally depleted state and presented low survival rates in the first month of life. The high monounsaturated fat content and low docosahexaenoic acid level of Artemia nauplii proved to be unsuitable to fulfill the high polyunsaturated requirements of the juveniles. Optimization of the rearing system and prey quality may however improve juvenile survival. Captive breeding had a strong impact on the reproductive performance of the long‐snouted seahorse, decreasing the number, size, condition and nutritional reserves of the juveniles and, consequently, their ability to survive and to tolerate stressful conditions. The poor reproductive performance and low survival rates of captive seahorses may jeopardize the economic viability of commercial production and the success of supplementation programs in the wild, but should not be discourage. Further research that incorporates the knowledge acquired in this investigation is expected to improve the success of H. guttulatus culture and to allow developing a suitable protocol for this species. |
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