Occurrence of the autofluorescent pigment, lipofuscin, in polar crustaceans and its potential as an age marker


Contact
bbluhm [ at ] awi-bremerhaven.de

Abstract

In crustaceans, the lack of reliable methods often prevents the determination of individual age. The quantification of the autofluorescent age pigment, lipofuscin, has revealed promising results in boreal and tropical species. We studied the presence of morphological lipofuscin and its possible application as an age marker in five Arctic and five Antarctic species, comprising decapods, amphipods and a euphausiid. Lipofuscin granules were located in the brain, using confocal fluorescence microscopy, and quantified from digital images. The pigment was found in 94 of 100 individuals and in all 10 species, and granules occurred in easily detectable amounts in 5 species. Two scavenging amphipod species, the Antarctic Waldeckia obesa and the Arctic Eurythenes gryllus, revealed the most conspicuous and numerous granules. There was a broad, though weak, correlation of lipofuscin concentration with individual body size within a species, but not with absolute body size of one species compared to another. In larvae of the decapod Chorismus antarcticus, lipofuscin accumulation was quantified over the 1st 4 months after larval release. Morphological lipofuscin is a potential index of age in those investigated species with a sufficient accumulation rate of the pigment.



Item Type
Article
Authors
Divisions
Programs
Publication Status
Published
Eprint ID
3775
DOI https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s003000100258

Cite as
Bluhm, B. , Brey, T. , Klages, M. and Arntz, W. (2001): Occurrence of the autofluorescent pigment, lipofuscin, in polar crustaceans and its potential as an age marker , Polar Biology, 24 (9), pp. 642-649 . doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s003000100258


Download
[thumbnail of Fulltext]
Preview
PDF (Fulltext)
Blu2001a.pdf

Download (158kB) | Preview
Cite this document as:

Share


Citation

Research Platforms
N/A

Campaigns
N/A


Actions
Edit Item Edit Item