Exacanthomysis marsailiae and Nipponomysis neolingvura are described as new species based on specimens collected with a light trap off the East Sea coast of Korea. E. marsailiae is closely related to Exacanthomysis alaskensis (Banner, 1954) and Exacanthomysis borealis (Banner, 1954). However, E. marsailiae can be distinguished from these species by having slightly grouped spines on lateral margins near the telson apex, and the exopod of male's fourth pleopod more than twice as long as the endopod. N. neolingvura can be distinguished from its closest relative, Nipponomysis lingvura (Murano, 1977), in that the lateral sides of the telson are all armed with spines without any empty space, and that the second segment of the fourth male pleopod is longer than the third one. The report of E. marsailiae from the East Sea of Korea extends the distribution range of the genus Exacanthomysis from the high-latitude North Pacific southward to the mid-latitude waters of the western Pacific. The morphological characteristics of the two current new species are also compared with those of their congeners.

Life history characteristics, habitat landscape, and historical events are believed to have shaped the patterns of genetic variation in many taxa. The bony lip barb, Osteohilus vittatus, represent a potamodromous fish that complete all life cycle in freshwater and is widely distributed in Southeast Asia. It usually lives in small rivers and other freshwater habitats, and movement between habitats for either food or reproduction has been typical. These life history characteristics may promote gene flow, leading to less structured populations. However, many freshwater habitats are fragmented, which restricts gene flow. We investigate how this interplay has shaped patterns of genetic variation and phylogeographic structure within this species in the Sundaland, a biodiversity hotspot with a complex geological history, using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) as a genetic marker. Forty-six mtCOI sequences of 506 bp long were collected from ten localities, eight geographically isolated and two connected. The sequences were used for population genetic and phylogeographic analyses. Our results showed a low genetic diversity within populations but high between populations. There was a deep phylogeographic structure among geographically isolated populations but a lack of such structure in the connected habitats. Among geographically isolated populations, sequence divergence was revealed, ranging from 1.8% between Java and Sumatra populations to 12.2% between Malaysia and Vietnam. An indication of structuring was also observed among localities that are geographically closer but without connectivity. We conclude that despite high dispersal capacity, the joint effects of historical events, long-term geographic isolation associated with sea level oscillation during the Pleistocene, and restricted gene flow related to lack of habitat connectivity have shaped the phylogeographic structure within the O. vittatus over the Sundaland.

Research to obtain molecular markers related to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene in both strains of gourami is essential to increase the success of the selection program of disease resistance traits. Using a completely randomized design (CRD), the challenge test consists of four treatments and seven replications. The treatment was Jambi gourami injected with PBS (KJ), Kalimantan gourami injected with PBS (KK), Jambi strain injected with Aeromonas hydrophila (GJ), and Kalimantan strain injected with A. hydrophila (GK). The GJ population was more resistant to A. hydrophila than the GK population. The MHC II gene was detected in both test strains (GJ and GK), both resistant and susceptible fish. However, there were differences in the results of amplifying the MHC II gene in susceptible and resistant fish. Two DNA fragments approximately 400 and 585 bp were detected in the genome of susceptible fish, while in the genome of susceptible fish, only one DNA fragment was detected (400 bp). Therefore, the MHC II gene fragment with a size of about 585 bp can be used as a potential candidate for specific molecular markers to obtain resistance to A. hydrophila bacteria in the giant gourami.

A study was conducted to evaluate dietary valine (Val) requirement for Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei). Five isonitrogenous (353 g/kg) and isocaloric (4.08 kcal/g) semi-purified diets containing graded levels of Val (2.7, 5.1, 8.7, 12.1 or 16.0 g/kg) were formulated. Quadruplicate groups of 12 shrimp (average body weight: 0.46 ± 0.00 g) were fed one of the experimental diets (2%-5% of total body weight) for 8 weeks. Maximum weight gain was observed in 8.7 g/kg Val group. However, the growth performance was reduced when Val concentration in diets were higher than 12.1 g/kg. Feed conversion ratio was significantly increased with 2.7 and 16.0 g/kg Val inclusion. Shrimp fed the diets containing 2.7 g/kg Val showed significantly lower protein efficiency ratio, whole-body crude protein and Val concentrations. Dietary inclusion of Val significantly improved the relative expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein and immune-related genes (prophenoloxidase, lysozyme and crustin) in the hepatopancreas and 8.7 g/kg Val group showed highest expression among all the groups. The dietary requirement of Val for maximum growth of juvenile P. vannamei, estimated using polynomial regression analysis on growth, was 9.54 g/kg of Val (27.2 g/kg based on protein level) and maximum growth occurred at 9.27 g/kg of Val (26.2 g/kg based on protein level) based on broken-line regression analysis.

Mass mortalities of mud crab Scylla spp. larvae due to pathogenic Vibrio spp. outbreaks have frequently occurred in hatcheries. To overcome this problem, probiotics containing Bacillus subtilis bacteria are applied to inhibit pathogenic ones. We tested different doses of probiotic-containing B. subtilis (10⁸ CFU/g) on the Scylla tranquebarica larvae and investigated the microbiota population, including Vibrio. Water quality, larvae development, and crablet production were also monitored. The recently hatched larvae were grown in twelve conical fiber tanks filled with 200 L sterile seawater, with a salinity of 30 ppt at a stocking density of 80 ind/L. Four different doses of probiotics were applied in the larvae rearing, namely, A = 2.5 mg/L, B = 5 mg/L, C = 7.5 mg/L, and D = 0 mg/L, with three replicates. Next-generation sequencing analysis was used to obtain the abundance of microbes in the whole body of megalopa and the water media for larvae rearing after applying probiotics. Sixteen Raw Deoxyribonucleic Acid samples (eight from a whole body of megalopa extraction from four treatments of probiotics defined as A, B, C, D, and eight from water media extraction from four treatments of probiotic defined as E, F, G, H) were prepared. Then, they were sent to the Genetics Science Laboratory for NGS analysis. Ammonia, nitrite, total organic matter (TOM), larvae, and crablet production were monitored. Based on the Next-generation sequencing analysis data, the Vibrio spp. decreased significantly (p < 0.05) than control test (D) in megalopa-applied probiotics at the doses of 2.5 mg/L (A) and 7.5 mg/L (C) and in the water media for megalopa rearing treated with probiotics at the dosage of 5.0 mg/L (F). Ammonia in the zoea stage in B treatment and TOM in the zoea and megalopa stage in B and C treatments were decreased significantly (p < 0.05). It impacts the higher number of zoea survival in treatments B and C. Finally, it results in a significantly high crablet production in treatments B and C. Therefore, the dosage of 5 mg/L to 7.5 mg/L improves crablet S. tranquebarica production significantly.

Amphipoda is a benthic fauna occupying aquatic environments that can be used as a live feed for mud crabs. The abundance of amphipods in the water is thought to impact the preying capacity of crablets, which in turn will affect their growth performance. This study aims to determine the preying capacity of the crablet stage of Scylla tranquebarica exposed at different densities (20, 30, and 40 amphipods / 0.5 L) of amphipod, Grandidierella megnae. The preying capacity was estimated by counting the number of amphipods ingested by an individual crablet during the 60-day rearing period. The main parameters measured were daily consumption rate (DCR), Cumulative molting (CM), Feed conversion ratio (FCR), and the specific growth rate of weight (SGR-W). The results showed that the DCR and FCR were not affected by amphipod densities but the higher the amphipod density the higher the SGR-W and CM. Based on this study, 30 amphipods / 0.5 L is recommended as the optimal density to optimize the DCR and improve the growth performance of crablets. It is also proposed that surplus live feed will potentially reduce the cannibalism rate of crablets during weaning. However, more research needs to be carried out to elucidate the benefits of crablet-feeding amphipods in communal systems.