ANTENNULAR CHEMOSENSITIVITY IN THE SPINY LOBSTER, PANULIRUS ARGUS: COMPARATIVE TESTS OF HIGH AND LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT STIMULANTS

Abstract

Distance chemoreceptors in the spiny lobster P. argus were surveyed electrophysiologically for responsiveness to natural stimuli of different molecular weights to gain further insight into the stimulatory role of macromolecules. Eight potential food organisms were extracted and the extracts tested before and after fractionation by ultrafiltration for stimulus value to antennular chemoreceptors. Data presented verify chemosensitivity of lateral antennular filaments and show that for all extract types the low MW (< .apprx. 10,000) components are significantly more stimulatory than the components of higher molecular weight, and stimulus values of low molecular weight fractions do not differ significantly from those of the unfractionated extracts.