ANTENNULAR CHEMOSENSITIVITY IN THE SPINY LOBSTER, PANULIRUS ARGUS: COMPARATIVE TESTS OF HIGH AND LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT STIMULANTS

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, and Whitney Marine Laboratory, University of Florida, Rt. 1, Box 121, St. Augustine, Florida 32084

Antennular chemoreceptors in the spiny lobster, P. argus, were surveyed electrophysiologically for responsiveness to natural stimuli of different molecular weights to gain further insight into the stimulatory role of macromolecules. Extracts and body fluids from eight potential food organisms were prepared and tested both before and after fractionation by ultrafiltration. Data presented verify chemosensitivity of lateral antennular filaments and show that for all extract types. the components of low molecular weight (< ca. 10,000) were significantly more stimulatory than the components of higher molecular weight; and stimulus values of low molecular weight fractions did not differ significantly from those of the unfractionated extracts.