Relationship between Maturation and Biochemical Composition of the Gonads and Digestive Glands of the Shrimps Penaeus aztecus Ives and Penaeus setiferus (L.)

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Abstract
Maturation in Penaeus aztecus and P. setiferus was evaluated by visual, histological, and biochemical observations. Changes in carbohydrate, lipid, and protein contents were described in gonads and digestive glands of both males and females, and in the terminal portion of the male reproductive tract (terminal ampullae and vasa deferentia combined). During gonadal maturation of both species, carbohydrate, protein, and lipid contents of the ovaries increased. The largest absolute changes were in the amount of protein and the greatest relative increases occurred in the amount of lipid. In digestive glands of females, changes in biochemical composition differed between the species: in P. aztecus carbohydrate and protein contents of the digestive glands increased during maturation, but in P. setiferus the lipid content of the digestive glands decreased during maturation. Results suggest that mobilization of stored lipid from the digestive gland to ovaries may be more important in P. setiferus than in P. aztecus. The testes were relatively small and the terminal ampullae and vasa deferentia made up a large portion of the male reproductive system than did the testes. In mature males, the protein, lipid, and carbohydrate contents of testes were larger in P. setiferus than in P. aztecus, but protein, lipid, and carbohydrate contents of combined terminal ampullae and vasa deferentia were larger in P. aztecus than in P. setiferus. In P. setiferus, protein contents of both testes and combined terminal ampullae and vasa deferentia were larger in mature males than in developing males. Protein and lipid contents of digestive glands of males did not differ between the species or among the maturation stages.