BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE SQUID SEPIOTEUTHIS-LESSONIANA CULTURED THROUGH MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

Providing squids-especially their giant axons-for biomedical research has now been achieved in 10 mariculture trials extending through multi ple generations. The noteworthy biological characteristics of Sepioteu this lessoniana are (1) this species is behaviorally and morphological ly well suited to the laboratory environment; (2) the life cycle is co mpleted in 4-6 months; (3) growth is rapid (12% and 5% wet body weight d(-1) for 100 d and for the life span, respectively), with adult size ranging from 0.4-2.2 kg; (4) feeding rates are high (30% wet body wei ght d(-1)), and a variety of live crustaceans and fishes are eaten; (5 ) crowding is tolerated (about 4 squids m(-3)); (6) the incidence of d isease and cannibalism is low; and (7) reproduction in captivity allow s culture through three successive generations. Engineering factors co ntributed to culture success: (1) physical design (i.e., size, shape, and painted pattern) of the culture tanks; (2) patterns of water flow in the culture tanks; (3) water filtration systems; and (4) spawning s ubstrates. Initial production (a few hundred squids per year) suggests that large-scale culture will be able to supply the needs of the biom edical research community. The size (>400 mu m in diameter) and charac teristics of the giant axons of Sepioteuthis are appropriate for exper imentation, and other studies indicate that the eye, oculomotor/equili brium system, olfactory system, blood, and ink are equally suitable fo r research.