Abstract

In the present study an attempt has been made to know the biochemical composition of freshly hatched zoea of Macrobrachium idea. The content of protein in egg was gradually decreased from egg stage-I (63.98%) to egg stage-IV (51.85%), carbohydrate increased from egg stage-I (3.06%) to freshly hatched 1st zoea (4.06%), lipid values showed a decreasing trend from egg stage-I (14.97%) to freshly hatched 1st zoea (4.86%) and moisture increased from egg stage-I (61.68%) to freshly hatched 1st zoea stage (78.80%). The fatty acid composition of egg stage and zoea was in the range of 32.56-41.60 % for saturated, 26.09-36.22 % for monounsaturated and 9.07-11.92 % for polyunsaturated respectively and they were high in egg stages - I, III and IV. The unsaturated fatty acid contents were higher than the saturated fatty acid content. The amino acids showed increasing trends from egg stage-I to IV. Among the amino acids leucine, lysine, valine, methionine and arginine increased gradually as development progressed in egg stages and isoleucine, phenylalanine, histidine, tryptophan and threonine had a change of high-low-high.

Keywords: Palaemonid prawn; Macrobrachium idea; Biochemical; Zoea; Fatty acid