Turning waste into gold: Sustainable feed made of discards from the food industries promotes gonad development and colouration in the commercial sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816)

Although in vivo and in vitro approaches appear to be very different, they are related and complementary techniques and both are essential for the investigation of diverse biological topics. The employment of both techniques was considered particularly appropriate to investigate the role of 17β-oestradiol and testosterone in echinoid reproductive biology. The relationship between sex-steroids and echinoid reproduction has not been clearly determined yet, due to the highly variable and sometimes contrasting results obtained from steroid administration experiments. These might be due to the activation of protective metabolic mechanisms that can prevent the exogenous molecules from exerting their biological functions, as observed in our previous research. To clarify these aspects, in the present study we explored sex-steroid involvement in the reproduction of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, employing both in vivo and in vitro approaches: (1) an experiment involving hormone dietary administration was performed and different reproductive parameters were deeply analysed; (2) ovarian cells were cultured in the presence of the same steroids and morphological and biochemical analyses were carried out. According to our results, sex-steroids appear not to be involved in sea urchin gonad development and gamete maturation, as neither in vivo administration nor in vitro exposure influenced gonad and gamete growth. In addition, in vitro hormonal treatment did not affect sea urchin Major Yolk Protein content. Overall, the present work complements our previous research providing information on sex-steroid involvement in echinoid reproduction and illustrates new methodological approaches that will be useful for future research on invertebrate biology and physiology.

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Protein and energy digestibility and gonad development of the European sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck) fed algal and prepared diets during spring and fall

Aquaculture Research ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2109.2005.01306.x ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 36 (10) ◽

pp. 972-982 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

Susan C Schlosser ◽

Ingrid Lupatsch ◽

John M Lawrence ◽

Addison L Lawrence ◽

Muki Shpigel

Keyword(s):

Sea Urchin ◽

Gonad Development ◽

Paracentrotus Lividus

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Effects of Ethinylestradiol (EE2) and an Organophosphorus Flame Retardant (TCPP) on Gonadal Maturation in the Sea Urchin, Paracentrotus lividus

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse8080611 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (8) ◽

pp. 611

Author(s):

Pedro Campoy-López ◽

Estefanía Pereira-Pinto ◽

Leonardo Mantilla-Aldana ◽

Ricardo Beiras

Keyword(s):

Flame Retardant ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Sea Urchins ◽

Gonad Development ◽

Gonad Index ◽

Paracentrotus Lividus ◽

Individual Variability ◽

Estrogenic Effects ◽

Histological Damage ◽

Initial Stage

The sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) was used to test the effects of one of the most abundant flame retardant additives for plastics, tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP), and the synthetic hormone ethinylestradiol (EE2) on gametogenesis and gonad development of adults. With this aim, 403 individuals of both sexes were exposed to TCPP concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 10 µg/L, EE2 (0.01 µg/L), seawater and solvent controls for 7 and 28 days. EE2 and TCPP exposure did not cause histological damage in the gonads. Some evidence of estrogenic effects of TCPP within the µg/L range and EE2 within the ng/L range is reported. Females exposed to 1 µg/L TCPP for 7 days showed a significant increase in gonad development assessed as gametogenic stage, females exposed to 10 µg/L TCPP showed increased gonad development both in terms of weight (Gonad Index, GI, at both 7 and 28 days) and maturation (Pixelar Index, PI), and females exposed to 10 ng/L EE2 showed increased PI after 28 days exposure. Male sea urchins exposed to both TCPP and EE2 for 7 days showed increased frequencies of low development gonad stage. However, the patterns of response are affected by the high inter-individual variability, the differing initial stage of the gonad, as well as the dosage administered.

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Sperm motility patterns as a tool for evaluating differences in sperm quality across gonad development stages in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lmk, 1816)

Aquaculture ◽

10.1016/j.aquaculture.2015.10.033 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 452 ◽

pp. 115-119 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Adele Fabbrocini ◽

Daniela Maurizio ◽

Raffaele D'Adamo

Keyword(s):

Sperm Motility ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Sperm Quality ◽

Gonad Development ◽

Paracentrotus Lividus ◽

Development Stages

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Effects of Glyphosate-Based and Derived Products on Sea Urchin Larval Development

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse8090661 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (9) ◽

pp. 661

Author(s):

Davide Asnicar ◽

Costanza Cappelli ◽

Ahmad Safuan Sallehuddin ◽

Nur Atiqah Maznan ◽

Maria Gabriella Marin

Keyword(s):

Larval Development ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Marine Invertebrates ◽

Parent Compound ◽

Paracentrotus Lividus ◽

Marine Species ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Aminomethylphosphonic Acid ◽

Main Degradation Product ◽

Herbicide Glyphosate

Despite the widespread use of herbicide glyphosate in cultivation, its extensive runoff into rivers and to coastal areas, and the persistence of this chemical and its main degradation product (aminomethylphosphonic acid, AMPA) in the environment, there is still little information on the potential negative effects of glyphosate, its commercial formulation Roundup® and AMPA on marine species. This study was conducted with the aim of providing a comparative evaluation of the effects of glyphosate-based and its derived chemicals on the larval development of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, thus providing new data to describe the potential ecotoxicity of these contaminants. In particular, the effects on larval development, growth and metabolism were assessed during 48 h of exposure from the time of egg fertilization. The results confirm that AMPA and its parent compound, glyphosate have similar toxicity, as observed in other marine invertebrates. However, interestingly, the Roundup® formulation seemed to be less toxic than the glyphosate alone.

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Biometric characteristics of the wild population of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) on the Tunisian coast

Thalassas An International Journal of Marine Sciences ◽

10.1007/s41208-021-00301-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

F. Sellem ◽

B. Bouhaouala-Zahar

Keyword(s):

Sea Urchin ◽

Wild Population ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Paracentrotus Lividus ◽

Biometric Data ◽

Relative Growth ◽

Tunisian Coast ◽

Population Discrimination ◽

Positive Growth ◽

Negative Growth

AbstractThe present study was conducted to provide biometric data of the edible sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus along the Tunisian coastline where thirteen marine localities were selected randomly. A total of 653 individuals were collected and their metric and weight measurements were recorded. The size distribution of the different samples was determined and relative growth expressions were deduced. Data analysis showed that all localities’ samples of the wild population were dominated by one-size class, except Port Prince and Haouaria. Interestingly, only diameter-height relationships (D-H) were different between the geographical localities. Diameter-weight relationships (D-TW and D-TWTE) revealed a significant negative growth for all the localities, with the exception of Gammarth which showed positive growth for total weight (D-TW). Moreover, the multivariable analysis revealed divergences and/or similarities between metric and weight variables. Altogether, data highlights the inter-population discrimination with respect to geographic localization and clear segregation between the northern and the eastern localities demonstrated the plasticity of the species.

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