Roles of Neurotransmitters in Decapod Reproduction

In decapods neurotransmitters govern a variety of physiological events including growth, moulting, reproduction, locomotor activity, behavior and sexual differentiation. The most important reproductive neurotransmitters in decapods are histamine (HA), dopamine (DA), 5-hydrtryptamine (5HT, serotonin), leucine enkephalin (Leu-ENK), octopamine (OA), epinephrine (EPI), methionine enkephalin (Met-ENK), and Red pigment-concentrating hormone (RPCH). In this study, the discovery and identification of reproductive neurotransmitters in decapods are reviewed. The role of neurotransmitters (i.e. 5-HT, DA, OA, RPCH, Leu-ENK and Met-ENK) on the reproduction and sexual maturation of decapods are remarkable. It can be concluded that understanding the roles and effects of neurotransmitters are useful for further basic studies in reproductive biology of decapodsas well as commercial profitability in terms of development of new techniques for assisted reproduction in aquaculture.