Schistosomiasis is a chronic, parasitic disease, infecting more than 207 million people, mostly from Africa, with an estimated 700 million people at risk in 74 endemic countries. One of strategies to eradicate this disease is biocontrol of its vector snail. Lab experiments and field survey have been carried out to investigate the impact and the relationship between the exotic crayfish; Procamba...

Using an antiserum directed against -aminobutyric acid (GABA) to label neurones with GABA-like immunoreactivity, approximately 70 central neurones (68±9; mean ± s.e.m., N=9) were labelled in the terminal abdominal ganglion of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii. This mean number of neurones with GABA-like immunoreactivity represents approximately 10 % of the total number of neurones ...

To test whether male body size affects female reproductive investment in the polygamous crayfish Procambarus clarkii, we described mating behaviour of virgin females paired with either small or large males, and analysed the number, size and weight of both eggs and juveniles sired by either types of male. Along with confirming the overt selection by females of larger mates, we found that the siz...

Neuronal stem cells residing in a niche on the surface of the adult crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) brain are not self-renewing. However, the neuronal precursors in the niche are not depleted despite continued neurogenesis and the exit of precursor cells from the niche throughout the organism's life. The neurogenic niche is therefore not a closed system, and we have previously proposed that the ...

Spiroplasma eriocheiris disease control based on sensitive quantitative methods has become a priority. A SYBR Green real-time PCR that can simultaneously detect and quantify S. eriocheiris in the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii was produced and evaluated. In the asymptomatic crayfish, hemolymph exhibited the statistically greatest number of S. eriocheiris copies indicating a tissue-spec...

Male Procambarus clarkii were matched by size and largest claw length and observed interacting in pair matches before and after removal of the androgenic gland or a sham operation. Although results were not significant, trends suggested that males showed less aggression after the removal of the androgenic gland. Average bout duration did not decrease, but mean intensity of interaction decreased...