Development of the Cement Glands of the American Crayfish, Procambarus clarkii after Copulation

MIYAKE Sadayoshi, MATSUSHITA Aiko

1) Normal development of the cement glands of the American crayfish, Procambarus clarkii (GiRARD)1 living in the city of Fukuoka, Japan, was described. 2) The season during August to October seems to be a later season of egglaying in this species. Spawning occurs in 56 ;to 80 days after copulation in the laboratory. 3) As development of the cement glands initiated in 3 to 20 days and finished in 9 to 35 days after copulation, a rather long and quiescent period of the cement glands was observed until the spawning period. 4) In order to assess gross stages of the cement gland development, it is convenient to confine attention to the ventral surface of the uropods. A series of developmental stages was divided into three stages, i.e., Stages A, B and C. 5) It may be pointed out that the initiation of development of the cement glands is usually observed after copulation. It is very easy to determine females which finished copulation in the field works. 6) Although the sinus gland has been considered as an inhibitor to development of the cement glands, removal of eye-stalk did not influence subsequent development of the cement glands in our experiments. 7) On the other hand, the following discrepancy was observed between molting and spawning. Molting occurs in earlier stages (Stages A and B), but spawning in later stage (Stage C) of the cement gland developmnt in destalked females.

Development of the Cement Glands of the American Crayfish, Procambarus clarkii after Copulation

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