University of Tasmania
Browse
Moltschaniwskyj_-_review_2004.pdf (137.23 kB)

Understanding the process of growth in cephalopods

Download (137.23 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 15:02 authored by Moltschaniwskyj, NA
Many cephalopod species grow throughout their lifetime. Critically, this means that they lack an asymptotic phase of growth, when, for a substantial part of the lifetime, growth slows and body size increases minimally. Understanding the form of the growth curve requires an understanding of the growth processes operating at several biological levels including the relative growth of organs, muscle fibre production and growth, and at the level of proximal composition and protein synthesis. There are key differences in growth processes between fish and cephalopods; cephalopods have a sac-like body form that provides greater surface area for respiration, continuous production of new muscle fibres that ensures a supply of somatic material for growth, and high retention of synthesised protein. These characteristics provide process-orientated explanations for non-asymptotic growth in cephalopods. However, differences found in growth curves of laboratory-reared animals (two-phase growth curve) and of wild animals (single growth curve) suggests that future work will be needed to resolve this paradox. We need to determine the generality of growth processes observed to date, and how biotic and abiotic factors modify these processes during the lifetime of the animals.

History

Publication title

Marine and Freshwater Research

Volume

55

Issue

4

Pagination

379-386

ISSN

1323-1650

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

CSIRO Publishing

Place of publication

Collingwood, Australia

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Fisheries - aquaculture not elsewhere classified

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC