CHEMORECEPTOR FUNCTION OF CRAYFISH (Cherax

quadricarinatus)

By:
Name : Hasnadhiazahra Rohadi
Student ID : B1B015028
Entourage : VII
Subgroup :4
Assistant : Afrizal Vikri Avani

PRACTICAL REPORT OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY II

MINISTRY OF RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND HIGHER EDUCATION

JENDRAL SOEDIRMAN UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF BIOLOGY
PURWOKERTO
2017
 I. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Receptors are neurons or cells which are a specialized epithelium, that composed
of the cells themselves or in a group with other types of cells in an organ, such as
sensory organs (eyes and ears). Receptors detect changes in some internal variable
environment of animals in each homeostasis control. Heteroreceptor detects stimuli
from outside the body, such as pressure, heat, light and chemicals. Interreceptor
detecting a stimulus from within the body, such as blood pressure and body position.
Receptor cells convert the energy of the stimulus to be a change in membrane
potential and then deliver the signal to the nervous system (Ville et al., 1988).
Vertebrates have a sensory system that is more developed than invertebrates.
Senses which are generally known in the organism, there are five sense namely sight,
hearing, touch, smell and taste. Broadly speaking, the ability of the senses are
divided into three types: mechanoreseptor, photoreceptors, and chemoreseptor
(Radiopoetro, 1977).
chemoreceptor is a sense which is stimulated by various chemical ions or
molecules in the form of gas or liquid. Chemoreceptor includes the sense of smell,
sense of taste and also receptors that monitor the concentration of oxygen and carbon
dioxide (Gordon, 1982). Chemoreceptor on lobster found on his antennule section.
The most important function of antennule is detecting the presence or the absence of
food or to respond the feed which has a distinctive aroma. Antennule of Crustaceans
has a function to search for food, such as capturing a chemical stimulus and the sense
of smell. Antennular also serve to recognize the opposite sex, avoidance of an attack
or disruption caused by other organisms (predators) and maintaining its territorial
areas (Storer, 1957).
Lobster (Cherax quadricarinatus) is used as an object of observation to
determine the function chemoreceptor and it is an invertebrate which is included in
the phylum Arthropoda, and Crustacea class, easily found in Indonesian waters.
Chemoreceptor is the senses stimulated by various chemical ions or molecules in the
form of a gas or liquid. Chemoreceptor includes the sense of smell, sense of taste and
also receptors that regulate the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide. (Ville et
al.,1988).
1.2 Purpose

The purpose of this lab activity id to determine the chemoreceptor functions of

crayfish
 II. MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1 Materials

The materials that used in this practical activity are diets in the form of Tubifex sp
or pallets, and 2 individual of crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus).
The tools that used in this practical activity are 2 pieces of aquarium, stop watch,
and scissors.

2.2 Methods

The methods that done in this practical are :

1. The Aquarium was filled with fresh water, then entered the crayfish into the
aquarium
2. Made antennule ablation on the first crayfish and eye ablation on the second
crayfish.
3. The feed was served into the aquarium, then pressed the start button on the
stopwatch simultaneously with crayfish when touched the feed
4. The movement of antennule crayfish was observed in the aquarium and
recorded the time taken for each movement made by the crayfish antennule.
5. The observation was performed for 20 minutes.
6. Recorded the observation
 III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Result

Table 3.1.1 Observation Table in Lobster Antenula Movement

GROUP
1 2 3 4
MOVEMENT Pellet Pellet Tubifex sp. Tubifex sp.
Eye Control Antenula Eye Eye Control Antenula Total
1st ∑ 1st ∑ 1st ∑ 1st ∑ 1st ∑ 1st ∑ 1st ∑ 1st ∑
FIRST 10 MINUTES
Flicking - - 2’00 5 1’58 30 1’47 26 0’36 18 1’36 6 10’ 11 15” 10
Withdraw 8’00 2 6’00 3 1’30 6 1’22 6 1’47 11 2’23 5 10’ 7 12” 9
Wiping 5’00 2 3’00 4 5’19 1 6’58 2 3’17 1 - - 10’ 13 4’21 2
Rotation - - 9’00 2 2’36 22 2’36 9 - - - - 10’ 3 3’57 5
Feeding - - - - - - 7’27 2 0’36 1 3’26 3 8’48 - - -
SECOND 10 MINUTES
Flicking 7’00 1 2’00 4 0’50 34 0’19 40 1’00 20 2’20 4 0’30 12 - -
Withdraw 3’00 2 2’00 5 0’15 4 1’10 4 1’48 14 0’12 23 1’19 7 12’58 2
Wiping 1’00 4 1’00 2 - - - - 0’25 10 2’49 6 2’14 13 12’17 18
Rotation 5’00 6 1’00 3 0’19 19 0’19 14 3’22 2 - - 3’50 1 - -
Feeding - - 2’00 2 2’42 2 1’08 1 8’00 4 - - - - - -
3.2 Discussion

Based on the observation on antennule movement in crayfish (Cherax

quadricarinatus) in response to the form of feed tubifex showed that, treatment of
control in group 1 with feed pellets indicates that the observation of the first 10
minutes are not responsive to feed while in the second 10 minutes it is responsive to
the feed but in the control treatment of group 3 with feed Tubifex sp showed the
opposite result, in the first 10 minutes it is responsive to the feed. In the ablation
treatment of the crayfish eye showed that the crayfish is still responsive, in group 3
with Tubifex sp lobster feed showed a response to the feed. Lobster with ablation
treatment antennular only provides feed motion response approach once in group 2
with feed pellets at the second 10 minutes. Lobster with total ablation in group 4 with
feed Tubifex sp, showed the first 10 minutes look more responsive than the second
10 minutes and those both does not indicate responsive to the feed. this is in
accordance with the statement of Harpaz (1987) who said that the first stage in the
lobster approach the feed is to moved the antenna forward because at this
chemoreceptor stage in the lobster where they captured the chemical molecules from
the feed and will detect it, and try to find the feed. And according to Radiopoetro
(1977), the total ablation treatment and antenula, there will be no movement occurs
because the organ that serves as the receptor has been lost.
The most responsive crayfish to food is the crayfish with normal treatment and
ablation treatment of the eye. This is in accordance with the statement of Storer
(1957), which states that antennule on the crayfish is a sensor structure that can move
to seek shelter, food and looking for a partner and avoid predators. Therefore
crayfish which the antennule is still present will respond to feed because the function
of the antennule will be lost if the ablation to the particular organ is done. The
function of antennule is to capture the chemical stimulus in the form of animal
pheromones of the opposite sex as well to know the position of the body. Thus, part
of which serves as chemoreceptor on lobster is antennule.
The kinds of receptors based on the stimulus type, are namely chemoreceptor,
mechanoreceptor, and the photoreceptor. Chemoreceptor is sensed which are
stimulated by various chemical ions or molecules in the form of gas or liquid, these
receptors include the sense of smell, taste and also receptors that monitor the
concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Mechanoreceptors are sensory organs
that are stimulated by a kinetic energy. Sensory organs that are included in this
category are the organs that monitor internal functions such as muscle tension, joint
position, the sense of touch, balance, and hearing. The photoreceptor is a sense that
responds to electromagnetic energy and the form of photons. The sensory organ
which included in the photoreseptor response is the organ of vision (Storer, 1975).
According to Mellon (2012), activity or movement made by lobster antennule
include flicking, whipping, withdraw and rotation. Flicking is antennule disarmament
movement forward and serves to receive chemical signals from the feed so that the
existence of food can be known. Withdraw is a movement of pulling the antennule
forward and whipped it back and serve to defend themselves. Whipping is a purged
antennule movement and it serves to cleanse the mouth. Rotation is the antennule
rotating movement and serves to inhibit the stimulation of other lobsters.
Gordon et al., (1982) states that chemoreceptor on serves to approach and get to
know the place of they live in. In addition, chemoreceptor used to recognize the
presence of each other and other animals, as well as to show the matured genitals
behavior. The chemoreceptors in crayfish is an organ in the form of hair or feathers
which located in the surface of the main antenna (antennules), mouth parts and in the
walking foot (Jayanto et al., 2015). Meanwhile, according to Saputra (2009) the
function of chemoreceptor in the lobster (crustaceans), is as follows: As the sense of
smell, plays a role in the search for and find food, to know the position of the body,
as a medium of communication between animals, that is to capture the chemical
stimulus in the form of pheromones of animals of the opposite sex.
Mechanisms stimulus to the lobster and accepted by the chemoreceptor organ is
the compounds that are contained in the feed which put into the water and will be
diffused in the water into the forms of ions, causing a distinctive flavor to lobster.
These stimuli received by chemoreceptor through antennule and it is transformed
into the brain by efferent neurons, then the brain will process it into a response which
will then be forwarded to the organ via afferent neurons, then the receptor organ does
a motion according to the information from the brain. Based on this mechanism can
be seen that the chemoreceptor organ of the lobster is located on their antennule
which is used to respond to the presence of typical aromatic feed as a chemical
stimulus (Roger, 1978).
According to Harpaz (1987) the speed of lobster approached their feed is
influenced by several factors, namely the amount of feed given, the speed of the
water flow, the condition of the receptor organ. The amount of food affects a number
of ions contained chemical feed in water and this will stimulate antennule lobster.
Water flow speed flow of the water plays a role in delivering ions, chemical feed and
took it to the lobster. The conditions of antennule as a chemoreceptor organ has a
very important role. A Damage in antennule organ can result in lobsters and they will
lose the ability to detect the feed. Meanwhile, according to Harpaz (1982), Factors
affecting the lobster in approaching the feed that is external and internal factors.
External factors such as temperature and light form and noisy environments. Internal
factors might be a lobster that is already full, stress or because lobsters do not smell
their food because of a damaged antennule.
Antennular chemoreceptors of crustaceans, including spiny lobsters, play
important roles in many chemosensory behaviors. First, they are necessary to
mediate many responses to intraspecific cues, including alarm cues in the
hemolymph that mediate avoidance of injured animals and social cues in the urine
that mediate aggression. More relevant to their role in predation, they are necessary
to initiate searching and orientation towards the source of a distant chemical stimulus
and complex behaviors such as learning and discrimination. They may also play a
role in motivation to feed (J.F.A. and C.D.D., unpublished observations). The
antennules of spiny lobsters have 10 types of setae comprising two major types and
pathways (Chezem et al., 2013).
 IV. CONCLUSION

Based on observations and discussions can be concluded that:

1. Function chemoreseptor on lobster (Cherax quadricarinatus) Is to detect the
presence of feed, provide a response to the feed, detect the presence of
chemical molecules in the form of food or to distinguish the presents of other
crayfish or opposite sex.
2. The disappearance of antennule crayfish as a chemoreceptor cause to lose
their ability to detect the feed.
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