Meeting Abstract

3.5  Jan. 4  What Happens To Crayfish Antennule Structure And Function During Regeneration? MCCALL, J. M.; MEAD, K. S.*; Univ. of California, San Diego; Denison University meadk@denison.edu

Crayfish are capable of regenerating sensory structures such as their antennules. These olfactory appendages allow the organisms to receive stimuli from the environment such as information directing them toward food or mates. The ability to regenerate nerve systems is an advantage in an environment where damage from fights, infection, and distress is common. We collected and removed the antennules from 48 Orconectes sanborni (N=48), to initiate the regenerating process. We developed and used a new method of structural analysis, to avoid destructive sampling of antennules. We created progressive molds of the regenerating antennules using dental epoxy and then made positives using Spurr�s epoxy resin, which we analyzed via a scanning electron microscope prior to and during the stages of regeneration. This nondestructive method allows several progressive samples of the same individual to be collected- a clear advantage in comparing continuously-regenerating tissues. Throughout the stages of regeneration, we tested intermolt crayfish in a Y-maze method to assess their ability and speed in tracking odors. We found several relationships will be between specific features of the structural regeneration of the antennules and the resulting changes in olfactory ability. Both the structural and the behavioral data indicate that the antennules have regained odor-tracking ability and possess many aspects of their original structure by the end of the second molt.