SURVIVAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS OF JUVENILE DISK ABALONE HALIOTIS-DISCUS-DISCUS DURING LONG-TERM STARVATION

Changes in the glycogen and triglyceride levels of the muscle and mid-gut gland of fed and starved juvenile disk abalone Haliotis discus discus were examined over a 70 day period. In the starved treatment, the glycogen and triglyceride contents in both tissues were consumed within 30 days, and from then, the water soluble protein content decreased. The mortality ratio increased after 40 days and reached approximately 50% on the 70th day, suggesting that juvenile Haliotis discus discus are able to resist comparatively long-term starvation. However, abalones which were starved for more than 30 days were considered to show high physiological stress, that is with a reduction of behavioral activity and increase of mortality ratio due to degradation of water soluble protein.