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Aging Of Florida Blue Crabs, Callinectes Sapidus, Through The Biochemical Extraction Of Lipofuscin, Claire Elizabeth Crowley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, represents an ecologically and economically important component of marine and estuarine ecosystems. In Florida, blue crab landings accounted for $9.6 million dollars during the 2010 fishing season. Accurate stock assessments for this valuable fishery are essential. Age is a critical biological component of accurate stock assessments; however, blue crabs and other crustaceans are especially difficult to age because of the complex nature of discrete growth. Biochemical extraction of an aging pigment, lipofuscin, was developed using blue crab eyestalks. The current study investigated the effects of freezing preservation on lipofuscin extracts and examined whether the …