Lobster mothers invest unequally in offspring, study reveals
Female pink spiny lobsters provision their eggs differently depending on where they're positioned on the mother's body, with rear embryos receiving significantly more of critical nutrients. The finding could reshape how fisheries manage breeding stock and aquaculture operations optimize hatchery conditions for this commercially valuable deep-sea species.
Originaltitel: Fine-Scale Variation in Maternal Lipid Provisioning during Early Embryogenesis in the Pink Spiny Lobster (Palinurus mauritanicus)
The pink spiny lobster (Palinurus mauritanicus) is a commercially and ecologically important deep-sea species in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean, yet knowledge of maternal investment during early embryogenesis remains limited. This study examined spatial patterns of lipid and fatty acid (FA) provisioning in newly extruded embryos to assess intrabrood variability in maternal investment. Embryos were sampled from pleopods P2 to P5 on both sides of the female and from inner and outer positions within the brooding chamber. Phospholipid contents were quantified, and FA profiles determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Phospholipid content increased progressively from anterior to posterior pleopods with embryos from P3 to P5 exhibiting significantly higher levels of key polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), particularly eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, compared with those from P2. In contrast, no significant differences were detected between left and right sides of the female or between inner and outer brooding positions, indicating that pleopod location is the primary driver of biochemical heterogeneity within broods. These results demonstrate that maternal lipid provisioning in P. mauritanicus is spatially structured across the embryo mass, potentially reflecting the temporal sequence of oogenesis or oviposition. Given the central role of PUFA in embryonic development, this heterogeneity may influence hatching success and early larval performance. This study contributes to a better understanding of reproductive ecology in deep-sea lobsters by providing new insights into fine-scale patterns of maternal investment, contributing to broodstock management, conservation strategies, and the development of sustainable aquaculture practices for this vulnerable species.