Efecto de diferentes intensidades de luz sobre la expresión de cromatóforos, crecimiento y supervivencia en juveniles de Macrobrachium tenellum

Freshwater prawn Macrobrachium tenellum is noted for its ability to change color depending on different stimuli. In order to determine different light intensities on the chromatophore expression, growth and survival, juvenile shrimps (28.60-28.97 mm) were subjected to four treatments 30, 600, 1500 and 3500 lux for 45 days. At the end of the experiment the growth in size and weight, amount of food consumed, feed conversion and survival were determined. The expression analysis of chromatophores was performed by its count from photos of the third somite and the uropod exopodite. Growth in height and weight of prawns subject to the different light intensities showed no differences between treatments (P > 0.05). The total consumption of food, feed conversion and survival showed no significant differences. In relation with the number of chromatophores, differences between treatments were evident; lower light intensities were different to higher ones. The higher light intensity increased the number of expressing chromatophores.