Like all other decapods, the grapsid crab, Metopograpsus messor has mouth parts composed of six pairs of modified appendages. The present study revealed the structural significance of this complexity and the feeding habits of this species. Scanning electron microscope was used for examination of the mouth parts of the specimens collected from two different habitats. No differences were found neither in the structure of mouth parts nor in food analyses. The feeding habits showed that M. messor is opportunistic omnivore feeding on a wide variety of benthic organisms including algae, epifaunal animals as well as dead fish and other decayed animals in addition to higher plants particularly decomposed sea grass leaves and mangrove.

The use of steroid-treated feeds as 17 a-methyltestosterone for the production of all-male populations is widespread in tilapia aquaculture. The aim of the present study was to investigate the misuse effects of methyltestosterone on monosex farmed Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus by evaluation of hematological and biochemical values. The fishes were obtained from four localities (Assiut as a control, Beheira, Alexandria and Kafr el-Sheikh: three farms from each governorate as farmed monosex produced using methyltestosterone). The total erythrocyte count, hemoglobin rate, hematocrit percentage, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), white blood cell count, blood platelets, lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophils and basophils were determined. The results showed that there were changes in the erythrocytic series and in the defense white blood cells. Activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glucose, cholesterol, total protein, uric acid and creatinine were determined for biochemical study. These alterations are considered an indication for performance and health of fish in the monosex culture medium indicating the side effects of overdose induction of MT.

The use of steroid-treated feeds as 17 a-methyltestosterone for the production of all-male populations is widespread in tilapia aquaculture. The aim of the present study was to investigate the misuse effects of methyltestosterone on monosex farmed Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus by evaluation of hematological and biochemical values. The fishes were obtained from four localities (Assiut as a control, Beheira, Alexandria and Kafr el-Sheikh: three farms from each governorate as farmed monosex produced using methyltestosterone). The total erythrocyte count, hemoglobin rate, hematocrit percentage, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), white blood cell count, blood platelets, lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophils and basophils were determined. The results showed that there were changes in the erythrocytic series and in the defense white blood cells. Activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glucose, cholesterol, total protein, uric acid and creatinine were determined for biochemical study. These alterations are considered an indication for performance and health of fish in the monosex culture medium indicating the side effects of overdose induction of MT.

The present study was carried out to investigate the histological and histochemical changes in the liver and skin on different developmental stages of Egyptian toad Bufo regularis to be used as a histological key for such species. Our experiment started when tadpoles began to feed. The adapted embryos are divided into 3 large tanks of 200 embryos each, collections of samples started from feeding age every three days. Both histological and histochemical results showed that the general architecture of the different organs was correlated with the state of development, i.e. larval, metamorphic and post-metamorphic. They, therefore, displayed different characteristic features depending on the investigated developmental stage starting from the larval stage (stage 44) and ending with the post-metamorphic stage 66.

The present study was carried out to investigate the histological and histochemical changes in the liver and skin on different developmental stages of Egyptian toad Bufo regularis to be used as a histological key for such species. Our experiment started when tadpoles began to feed. The adapted embryos are divided into 3 large tanks of 200 embryos each, collections of samples started from feeding age every three days. Both histological and histochemical results showed that the general architecture of the different organs was correlated with the state of development, i.e. larval, metamorphic and post-metamorphic. They, therefore, displayed different characteristic features depending on the investigated developmental stage starting from the larval stage (stage 44) and ending with the post-metamorphic stage 66.

The fresh and dried fruiting bodies of cultivated P. ostreatus are accomplished by using different chemical analytical methods. The results are showing that the nutritional value is including: energy 236.624 & 56.05 kcal/100g; moisture content 86.33 & 5.155%; also the following constitutes by g/100g DW in fresh and dry samples: dry matters 13.667 & 94.844; total proteins 22.6 & 9.6; amino acids 3.43 & 0.68; total carbohydrates 35.1 & 2.83 and total lipids 0.91 & 0.77. Each of K, Mg, Zn, Na and Cu are determined by mg/100g DW. Antioxidant metabolites are detected and included ascorbic acid 2.395 & 0.6204 g/100g DW in fresh & dry samples, respectively; free phenols are 23.99 & 163.515 and bounded phenols are 2.85 &1.96 μg/100g in fresh & dry samples, respectively. Comparison between the fresh and dry P. ostreatus samples appeared that the fresh sample has high nutritional value with highest values in all tested parameters. Also the dry samples had the higher contents of four minerals (1696.25 K, 90.25 Mg, 21 Zn, and 4.5 Cu mg/100g DW comparing to the fresh sample (1402.5 K, 74.25 Mg, 18.25 Zn, and4.0 Cu). On the other side, the levels of each of Fe were 179.75 & 78 and Na 417.7 & 204.25 mg/100g DW, respectively)

The fresh and dried fruiting bodies of cultivated P. ostreatus are accomplished by using different chemical analytical methods. The results are showing that the nutritional value is including: energy 236.624 & 56.05 kcal/100g; moisture content 86.33 & 5.155%; also the following constitutes by g/100g DW in fresh and dry samples: dry matters 13.667 & 94.844; total proteins 22.6 & 9.6; amino acids 3.43 & 0.68; total carbohydrates 35.1 & 2.83 and total lipids 0.91 & 0.77. Each of K, Mg, Zn, Na and Cu are determined by mg/100g DW. Antioxidant metabolites are detected and included ascorbic acid 2.395 & 0.6204 g/100g DW in fresh & dry samples, respectively; free phenols are 23.99 & 163.515 and bounded phenols are 2.85 &1.96 μg/100g in fresh & dry samples, respectively. Comparison between the fresh and dry P. ostreatus samples appeared that the fresh sample has high nutritional value with highest values in all tested parameters. Also the dry samples had the higher contents of four minerals (1696.25 K, 90.25 Mg, 21 Zn, and 4.5 Cu mg/100g DW comparing to the fresh sample (1402.5 K, 74.25 Mg, 18.25 Zn, and4.0 Cu). On the other side, the levels of each of Fe were 179.75 & 78 and Na 417.7 & 204.25 mg/100g DW, respectively)

In arid and semiarid regions, salinity is among the most important abiotic factors limiting growth of crop plants and yield. The current study was carried out to evaluate some metabolic and physiological responses of two oil – producing plants (sunflower and jojoba) grown under osmotic and toxic phases of NaCl and Na2CO3 salts. The two applied salts at the two selected phases markedly decreased salt tolerance index, photosynthetic pigments, anthocyanin pigment, soluble proteins and sodium accumulation factor of shoots and roots of jojoba and sunflower plants. This reduction was significant at the second phase of the applied salts. On the other hand, Na+ concentration and Na+/K+ ratio in shoots and roots of the test plants was increased by increasing NaCl or Na2CO3 level. Moreover, the leakage of K+ and Na+ from leaves of the stressed plants was also increased. Furthermore, NaCl and Na2CO3 supply stimulated glucose, fructose, proline and other free amino acids accumulation in shoots of jojoba and sunflower plants. Sunflower exhibited higher sensitivity to the applied salts compared with jojoba plant.

In arid and semiarid regions, salinity is among the most important abiotic factors limiting growth of crop plants and yield. The current study was carried out to evaluate some metabolic and physiological responses of two oil – producing plants (sunflower and jojoba) grown under osmotic and toxic phases of NaCl and Na2CO3 salts. The two applied salts at the two selected phases markedly decreased salt tolerance index, photosynthetic pigments, anthocyanin pigment, soluble proteins and sodium accumulation factor of shoots and roots of jojoba and sunflower plants. This reduction was significant at the second phase of the applied salts. On the other hand, Na+ concentration and Na+/K+ ratio in shoots and roots of the test plants was increased by increasing NaCl or Na2CO3 level. Moreover, the leakage of K+ and Na+ from leaves of the stressed plants was also increased. Furthermore, NaCl and Na2CO3 supply stimulated glucose, fructose, proline and other free amino acids accumulation in shoots of jojoba and sunflower plants. Sunflower exhibited higher sensitivity to the applied salts compared with jojoba plant.