Growth Pattern of the Tropical Sea Cucumber, Holothuria scabra, under Captivity

Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly
ISSN 00213551
NII recode ID (NCID) AA0068709X

The growth of the juvenile sea cucumber, Holothuria scabra, was studied under captivity to elucidate the growth variation pattern and determine the best-fit growth model to estimate age- and size-specific growth rates. Individual growth was extremely variable, with some individuals below the mean initial weight and some expanding their original body length (L) and weight (W) by up to 6.4 and 156 times, respectively; during 84 days of culture starting at 127 days of age. Some of the smallest individuals showed a higher condition factor than larger individuals in the presence of ample food, indicating that lack of food may not be the only impediment to growth. Among the three growth models compared (von Bertalanffy, Gompertz and logistic), the Gompertz model was considered optimal to express H. scabra growth; both in L and W. The age- and size-specific daily growth rate for L and W up to 365 days of age, as estimated by the Gompertz model, had a range of two and nine orders of magnitude in L (0.035 - 0.96 mm/day) and W (3.4 × 10-7 - 3.5 g/day), respectively. Use of the Gompertz model over the linear model, which tends to overestimate growth rates, is encouraged to estimate the growth of H. scabra more accurately.

Date of issued
Creator WATANABE Satoshi SUMBING Joemel Gentelizo LEBATA-RAMOS Maria Junemie Hazel
Subject

condition factor

Gompertz model

shooter

growth trajectory

Publisher Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences
Available Online
NII resource type vocabulary Journal Article
Volume 48
Issue 4
spage 457
epage 464
DOI 10.6090/jarq.48.457
Rights Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences
Language eng

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