RESEARCH DEVELOPED WITH MACROBRACHIUM SP. AT THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE DO NORTE - BRAZIL  

Karina Ribeiro 1*, David de Araujo Borges, Janaina da Silva Santos, Eduarda Tayna de Almeida, Francielle Oliveira dos Santos, Emerson Eduardo de Moura, Paulo Mario Carvalho de Faria
1.Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Escola Agrícola de Jundiaí - UFRN
Av. Jundiai Km 3, 59280-000. Natal, RN - Brazil;
*e-mail: karina@ufrnet.br
 

The Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte has a campus located 22Km from Natal, RN. Undergraduate and graduate technical course are conducted on this campus including the noteworthy technical degree in Aquaculture. This course is achieved through theoretical and practical lessons. The practical lessons take place at the Aquaculture station, which is comprised of freshwater production units of fish and prawn. The freshwater prawn sector is comprised of structures of production tanks and laboratories, which house various research projects with Macrobrachium carcinus, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, and Macrobrachium amazonicum. The studies with M. carcinus involve juvenile and adult specimens. Behavioral studies of this species are being carried out to construct an ethogram and thereafter, other behaviors will continue to be evaluated. In this context, the M. carcinus are being evaluated for swimming, feeding, and resting behaviors in light and dark periods. Substrates are added to avoid cannibalism during the nursery phase, thus, the preference for vertical, horizontal and circular substrates will be evaluated. The juveniles of M. carcinus will be cultivated in recirculation tanks to evaluate the productive performance parameters of this species in these conditions. The studies with M. rosenbergii are aimed at the production of this species in net cages and recirculation systems. The production in recirculation systems aims to test high stocking densities in systems that could favor the production of these animals in small environments and during periods of water shortages. The production in net cages is an alternative for the production in coastal environments and for artisanal fishermen. Studies are still being developed over the genetics of the native species to monitor the genetic distribution.