Research Article

Effects of salinity on growth performance and survival of second-stage juvenile Pontastacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823)

Volume: 43 Number: 3 July 29, 2026
EN TR

Effects of salinity on growth performance and survival of second-stage juvenile Pontastacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823)

Abstract

The narrow-clawed crayfish, Pontastacus leptodactylus, is an economically significant species recognized for its high ecological resilience, particularly its ability to thrive in brackish environments. This research investigated the impact of various salinity levels (0, 2.5, 5, and 10 ppt) on the survival and growth metrics of second-stage juveniles during a 25-day experimental trial. A total of 160 individuals (initial mean weight: 0.033±0.001 g) were allocated into four treatment groups, with each group conducted in quadruplicate. The data indicated that growth performance parameters, such as total length, final weight, and specific growth rate (SGR), were not significantly altered by the salinity treatments (p > 0.05), demonstrating that somatic growth was sustained across the tested salinity gradient. In contrast, survival was significantly affected by environmental salinity (p<0.05). The maximum survival rate was recorded at 5 ppt (52.5±2.50%), followed by the 10 ppt (45.0±6.45%) and 2.5 ppt (30.0±4.08%) groups, whereas the freshwater control group had the lowest survival (12.5±9.46%). These results indicate that moderate salinity (5 ppt) can optimize survival in juvenile crayfish without impairing growth performance. Implementing low-salinity rearing strategies could effectively address the high mortality rates often observed during the sensitive nursery phase of P. leptodactylus.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Local Ethics Committee Approval was not obtained because experimental invertebrate animals were used in this study.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Shellfish Culture

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

July 29, 2026

Submission Date

May 3, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 20, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 43 Number: 3

APA
Özdoğan, H. B. E. (2026). Effects of salinity on growth performance and survival of second-stage juvenile Pontastacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823). Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 43(3), 307-312. https://doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.43.3.15
AMA
1.Özdoğan HBE. Effects of salinity on growth performance and survival of second-stage juvenile Pontastacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823). EgeJFAS. 2026;43(3):307-312. doi:10.12714/egejfas.43.3.15
Chicago
Özdoğan, Hasan Batuhan Emre. 2026. “Effects of Salinity on Growth Performance and Survival of Second-Stage Juvenile Pontastacus Leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823)”. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 43 (3): 307-12. https://doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.43.3.15.
EndNote
Özdoğan HBE (July 1, 2026) Effects of salinity on growth performance and survival of second-stage juvenile Pontastacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823). Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 43 3 307–312.
IEEE
[1]H. B. E. Özdoğan, “Effects of salinity on growth performance and survival of second-stage juvenile Pontastacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823)”, EgeJFAS, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 307–312, July 2026, doi: 10.12714/egejfas.43.3.15.
ISNAD
Özdoğan, Hasan Batuhan Emre. “Effects of Salinity on Growth Performance and Survival of Second-Stage Juvenile Pontastacus Leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823)”. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 43/3 (July 1, 2026): 307-312. https://doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.43.3.15.
JAMA
1.Özdoğan HBE. Effects of salinity on growth performance and survival of second-stage juvenile Pontastacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823). EgeJFAS. 2026;43:307–312.
MLA
Özdoğan, Hasan Batuhan Emre. “Effects of Salinity on Growth Performance and Survival of Second-Stage Juvenile Pontastacus Leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823)”. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, vol. 43, no. 3, July 2026, pp. 307-12, doi:10.12714/egejfas.43.3.15.
Vancouver
1.Hasan Batuhan Emre Özdoğan. Effects of salinity on growth performance and survival of second-stage juvenile Pontastacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823). EgeJFAS. 2026 Jul. 1;43(3):307-12. doi:10.12714/egejfas.43.3.15