Abstract
The object of the present study was to quantify the concentration of protein, carbohydrate and lipid in the hepatopancreas and muscle of Fenneropenaeus merguiensis and F. penicillatus during the moulting stages, post moult (stages A and B), intermoult (stage C) and premoult (stage D). The protein concentrations in the hepatopancreas showed significant differences between males and females of F. merguiensis. However, the lipid and carbohydrate were not significantly different between the two sexes in this species. The protein, carbohydrate and lipid concentrations in the hepatopancreas of F. penicillatus were significantly different in two sexes. The protein and carbohydrate concentrations in the muscles of males and females F. penicillatus were significantly different but in F. merguiensis these concentrations were not significantly different. The lipid concentrations were different between two sexes in both species. The protein and carbohydrate concentrations in hepatopancreas of F. merguiensis and F. penicillatus were either of same order or slightly different during stages B and C, but significantly higher during molting stage D. The lipid concentrations in the hepatopancreas of these two species varied during the three molting stages, being lowest during stage B and highest during stage D. In two species, the protein, carbohydrate and lipid concentrations in the muscles were almost similar during moult stages B and C but higher in stage D.
