Abstract
Several concentrations of extracts prepared from the eyestalks of a specimen of Uca pugilator were injected into other U. pugilator individuals. The distal pigment of the eyes first became light adapted and then dark adapted, the whole process lasting 6 h. The mean integrated response for light adaptation increased progressively up to the highest tested extract (3 eyestalk equivalents/dose), but with the darkadapting response the maximal effect was produced by the extract containing 2 eyestalk equivalents/dose. Gel filtration of eyestalk extracts in Sephadex G-50 showed that the fractions associated with greatest light adaptation were also associated with greatest pigment dispersion in the melanophores. Almost no light or dark adaptation of the retinal pigment resulted from injections of eyestalk extracts treated with α-chymotrypsin which supports the interpretation that these substances are polypeptides of neurosecretory origin.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Abramowitz, A. A.: The chromatophorotropic hormone of the Crustacea: Standardization, properties and physiology of the eye-stalk glands. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 72, 344–365 (1937).
Brown, F. A., Jr., M. N. Hines and M. Fingebman: Hormonal regulation of the distal retinal pigment of Palaemonetes. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 102, 212–225 (1952).
Fingerman, M.: Crustacean color changes with emphasis on the fiddler crab, Scientia, Bologna 103, 1–16 (1968).
— Circadian rhythm of distal retinal pigment migration in the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator, maintained in constant darkness and its endocrine control. J. interdiscipl. Cycle Res. 1, 115–121 (1970).
—, M. E. Lowe and B. I. Sundararaj: Dark-adapting and light-adapting hormones controlling the distal retinal pigment of the prawn, Palaemonetes vulgaris. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 116, 30–36 (1959).
— and W. C. Mobberly, Jr.: Investigation of the hormones controlling the distal retinal pigment of the prawn Palaemonetes. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 118, 393–406 (1960).
—, K. R. Rao and C. K. Babtell: A proposed uniform method of reporting response values for crustacean chromatophorotropins: the Standard Integrated Response. Experientia 23, 962 (1967).
Hogben, L. and D. Slome: The pigmentary effector system. VI. The dual character of endocrine co-ordination in amphibian colour change. Proc. R. Soc. (Ser. B) 108, 10–53 (1931).
Kleinholz, L. H.: Crustacean eye-stalk hormone and retinal pigment migration. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 70, 159–184 (1936).
— A progress report on the separation and purification of crustacean neurosecretary pigmentary-effector hormones. Gen. comp. Endocrinol. 14, 578–588 (1970).
—, H. Esper, C. Johnson and F. Kimball: Neurosecretion and crustacean retinal pigment hormone: assay and properties of the light-adapting hormone. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 123, 317–329 (1962).
Pantin, C. F. A.: On the excitation of crustancean muscle. J. exp. Biol. 11, 11–27 (1934).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J. Bunt, Miami
Supported by Grant GB-7595 X from the National Science Foundation.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fielder, D.R., Rao, K.R. & Fingerman, M. Control of distal retinal pigment migration in the fiddler crab Uca pugilator . Marine Biology 9, 219–223 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351382
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351382