Supplementation of Dietary Fungal Oil Containing Arachidonic Acid Improves Fatty Acid Composition and Promotes Ovarian Development in Giant Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man, 1879)

Saadiah Ibrahim — 2025-12-31

Arachidonic acid (ARA) has been used as a feed additive to improve ovarian development in crustaceans. Therefore, in this study, ARA was supplemented at various levels to observe the induced development of ovaries in the broodstock of Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Four experimental maturation diets were formulated with different inclusion levels of ARA (0, 1, 2, and 2.9 %), sourced from Mortierella sp., a fungal oil which contains 45% ARA. The graded inclusion level of fungal oil resulted in 0.03, 0.35, 0.70, and 1.17% ARA in the diets. The results showed that broodstock fed with 0.70 % ARA diet, exhibited the highest hepatopancreas somatic index (HSI) value compared to broodstock fed with other diets. The histological evaluation of the ovaries revealed that broodstock fed a 0.70 % ARA diet resulted in significantly bigger oocytes (P < 0.05) among all diets. Thus, higher dietary ARA resulted in higher ARA content in the tail muscle, hepatopancreas, and ovary of prawn broodstock. Therefore, a dietary level of 0.70 % ARA promoted the reproductive performance and development of ovary in prawns broodstock.

Distribution of EDGE Coral Species and Community Perceptions of Reef Conservation in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia

Poh Leem Choo — 2025-12-31

The Semporna Priority Conservation Area (PCA) in Sabah, Malaysia, is a Coral Triangle biodiversity hotspot increasingly threatened by destructive fishing, coastal development, and climate change. To address these challenges, this study assessed the distribution of Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) corals across ten islands alongside community conservation attitudes. Underwater surveys recorded six EDGE species, with Heliofungia actiniformis being the most abundant (n = 123 colonies), especially at Sebangkat, Larapan, and Sibuan. Conversely, Nemenzophyllia turbida and Lithophyllon ranjithiwere entirely absent. Overall, EDGE corals were largely concentrated in the central PCA, an ecologically vital but heavily impacted zone. Concurrently, household surveys (n = 47) across four islands revealed significant variations in environmental awareness (p = 0.003), with Larapan scoring the lowest. While awareness of fish bombing was uniform across the sites, Bum Bum residents demonstrated a significantly higher willingness to combat the practice (p = 0.041). Synthesizing these results identifies Larapan as the most critical site for species-specific conservation, whereas Selakan and Bum Bum present strong opportunities for community-led engagement. These findings highlight the critical need to integrate ecological data with local social perceptions to prioritize conservation effectively. Establishing Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) in Semporna is recommended to safeguard threatened corals and empower local stewardship, directly contributing to Malaysia’s biodiversity goals, the Global Biodiversity Framework’s 30×30 target, and the Coral Triangle Initiative.

Borneo Journal of Marine Science and Aquaculture (BJoMSA)

Supplementation of Dietary Fungal Oil Containing Arachidonic Acid Improves Fatty Acid Composition and Promotes Ovarian Development in Giant Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man, 1879)

Distribution of EDGE Coral Species and Community Perceptions of Reef Conservation in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia