Untersuchungen zur Wirkung von injiziertem β-Ecdyson auf die Strandkrabbe Carcinus maenasL. / Investigations on the Effects of Injected Ecdysone upon the Green Shore Crab Carcinus maenas L.

Abstract

Abstract In order to accelerate and artificially induce molting, unoperated crabs, crabs without eye-stalks, Y-organ ectomized and Y-organ-and eyestalkless animals were injected with multiple doses of β-ecdysone. Molting itself was not induced in any case, whereas in double operated animals, both destalked and Y-organless, an acceleration of longer duration of molt preparatory processes was achieved. In all other crabs premolt processes were observed to a much lesser extent, and were only short termed.These findings lead to the conclusion that the Molt Inhibiting Hormone, which is produced in the eyestalks, might not inhibit the action of the Y-organ alone, but acts also onto the peripheral tissues.Furtheron it is concluded that phases of increased susceptibility to the injected hormone might not exist.