Cold mortality is not caused by oxygen limitation or loss of ion homeostasis in the tropical freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Using the tropical crustacean Macrobrachium rosenbergii we investigate two popular hypotheses proposed to explain loss of function in ectotherms exposed to critically high and low temperatures. Specifically, we examine whether acute cold stress disrupts hemolymph and muscle ion balance or causes a loss of oxygen availability. We found that acute cold stress causes loss of righting response at 13 °C, but that a cold-induced loss of ion-balance only occurs after onset of mortality. In regards to oxygen availability, we found no decrease in hemolymph oxygen content during cold exposure, and no changes in the concentrations of the anaerobic end products l-lactate and succinate in the tail muscle of the shrimp. Therefore, our results support neither of these two popular hypotheses and it remains unknown what physiological perturbations determine the lower limits of thermal tolerance in Macrobrachium rosenbergii.