Bilateral comparison of in situ neurolipofuscin accumulation in Callinectes sapidus caught in the wild

Abstract

Age determination using quantification of in situ neurolipofuscin has been an useful and reliable tool to understand population dynamics of crustaceans. In the present investigation, in situ neurolipofuscin was quantified in the medulla terminalis of eyestalks (cluster A cell mass, MT-A), and in the olfactory lobe cell mass 10 (OLCM-10) of the supra-oesophageal ganglion of unknown age blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) caught in the wild. No significant difference in neurolipofuscin quantity was found between right and left MT-A and between right and left OLCM-10. Comparison between MT-A and OLCM-10 resulted in a weaker correlation. Average neurolipofuscin was 0.353+0.038% vol. and 0.896+0.105% vol. in MT-A and OLCM-10, respectively. Size explained 23% of the variation of neurolipofuscin loading in OLCM-10. No significant relationship was found between size and MT-A neurolipofuscin content. It can be concluded that both structures are suitable for the quantification of neurolipofuscin, and they have the potential for age determination for C. sapidus.