A device for screening synchronous spawning parents of australian freshwater crayfish and a screening method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of Australian freshwater lobster synchronous oviposition parent screening equipment and screening method thereof, it is related to aquaculture technical field, including;Optical machine, support block and support, the optical machine is arranged at the top of support, the support block is rotationally arranged on support, and the inside of the support block is equipped with cavity, the support block is equipped with the placing box of transparent material, the inside of placing box is equipped with storage cavity, the placing box is equipped with recess on one side and close to support, the side end of support is equipped with shielding component, the drive mechanism that can control the rotation of support block is equipped in support, the air inlet is equipped on the support block, and the air blowing equipment with cold and hot alternation function is arranged at the air inlet, by;Optical machine can obtain the shooting image of female red-clawed crayfish, and the time of female red-clawed crayfish reproduction molting is judged according to the shape and size of gastrolith, so as to select the parent of basically synchronous reproduction molting, reach the purpose of screening synchronous oviposition parent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aquaculture technology, and in particular to a screening device and method for simultaneous spawning parents of Australian freshwater crayfish. Background Technology

[0002] Redclaw crayfish, also known as freshwater crayfish, belongs to the class Crustacea, order Decapoda, family Pseudococcidae, and genus Pseudococcidae. Its body color varies depending on its habitat, generally being bluish-green or brownish-green, closely resembling a marine lobster. Adult males have a soft, membranous bright red patch on the outer side of their first pair of large claws, hence the name. Native to northern Australia, this crayfish is one of the larger freshwater crayfish species, characterized by its omnivorous diet, rapid growth, strong adaptability, and disease resistance. Its meat is tender, delicious, and has a high edible ratio, giving it significant economic value and promising prospects for aquaculture.

[0003] However, this species exhibits strong territoriality, with frequent fighting and cannibalism among individuals, particularly the intraspecific suppression of smaller individuals by larger ones, hindering large-scale farming yields. Therefore, improving the uniformity of redclaw crayfish individuals is a crucial way to increase yields. To achieve this, during seedling breeding, it is necessary to mass-produce redclaw crayfish seedlings that spawn and hatch in the same batch, ensuring consistent growth periods and thus improving uniformity. Furthermore, during breed improvement and selection, obtaining seedlings bred in the same batch for performance evaluation is essential to improve the accuracy of breeding value assessments. Therefore, obtaining redclaw crayfish seedlings bred in the same batch has significant application value.

[0004] The current problem is that it is impossible to determine when female redclaw crayfish molt, mate, or lay eggs based solely on their appearance. The only solution is to use large-scale mixed mating and reproduction, capture all of them after a period of time, and then select egg-bearing parent crayfish for incubation. This is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and time-consuming.

[0005] Sexually mature female redclaw crayfish must undergo a reproductive molt before they can mate, lay eggs, and have them fertilized. Research has found that during this process, the redclaw crayfish's gastroliths undergo a process from formation to disappearance, and this process is highly correlated with the reproductive molt. Utilizing this pattern, this invention provides a screening device and method for synchronized spawning parents in Australian freshwater crayfish. By detecting the size and morphology of the gastroliths, the timing of the female redclaw crayfish's reproductive molt is determined, thereby selecting parents that undergo essentially synchronized reproductive molts, achieving the goal of screening for synchronized spawning parents. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides a screening device and method for simultaneous spawning parents of Australian freshwater crayfish to solve the aforementioned technical problems.

[0007] A screening device for synchronized spawning of Australian freshwater crayfish parents includes an X-ray machine, a support block, and a bracket. The X-ray machine is mounted on the top of the bracket. The support block is rotatably mounted on the bracket and has an internal cavity. A transparent placement box is mounted on the support block, and the placement box has an internal storage cavity that communicates with the cavity inside the support block. A groove is provided on the placement box near the bracket. A shielding component is provided on the side of the bracket, and the side end of the shielding component extends into the groove. A drive mechanism for controlling the rotation of the support block is provided inside the bracket, and the output end of the drive mechanism passes through the bracket and is connected to the support block. An air inlet is also provided on the support block, and a blower with alternating hot and cold functions is provided at the air inlet. The output end of the blower is connected to the interior of the air inlet.

[0008] Furthermore, the shielding assembly includes a support plate and a baffle. The support plate is fixedly mounted on the bracket, and the baffle is arc-shaped and fixedly mounted on the top of the support plate. The side end of the baffle extends toward the support block.

[0009] Furthermore, the placement box is vertically arranged, and the bottom end of the placement box is fixedly connected to the support block.

[0010] Furthermore, the top of the placement box is provided with an opening.

[0011] Furthermore, the groove on the placement box is arc-shaped, and the size of the groove is adapted to the size of the baffle.

[0012] Furthermore, the placement box is provided in multiple forms.

[0013] Furthermore, each of the placement boxes is provided with multiple partitions located above the groove. The partitions are arranged vertically at equal intervals, and both sides of each partition are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the placement box.

[0014] A screening method for a simultaneous spawning parent selection device for Australian freshwater crayfish, the screening method comprising the following steps:

[0015] S1: Before screening, start the blower and adjust it to the hot air function. The blower will send hot air into the support block. Then start the drive mechanism to control the support block to rotate. When the support block rotates, it will drive one of the placement boxes to move to the baffle. The groove on the placement box will be in a cross state with the baffle. When the placement box is in front of the X-ray machine, operate the drive mechanism to control the support block to keep it in a fixed position.

[0016] S2: The X-ray machine is activated to take pictures of the transparent placement box directly in front of the lens. The inspectors can then observe the gastroliths of the female redclaw crayfish on the X-ray machine's display screen. Based on the size of the gastroliths, the timing of the reproductive molting of each female redclaw crayfish in the placement box is determined. The gastroliths of the female redclaw crayfish change from small to large four days before the reproductive molting. On the day before the reproductive molting, the gastroliths of the female redclaw crayfish are at their largest size. Based on the size of the gastroliths, the female crayfish are classified and paired for breeding according to the predicted molting time, thereby obtaining individuals that mate, lay eggs, and fertilize in the same batch.

[0017] S3: The inspectors sorted and removed the female red claw crayfish that had been photographed by the X-ray machine from the placement box according to the size of the gastrolith. Then, they continued to start the drive mechanism to control the rotation of the support block. As the placement box that had been photographed by the X-ray machine was gradually moved out of the baffle, the groove on the placement box was completely removed from the baffle.

[0018] S4: After the baffle stops blocking the groove on the placement box, the cavity inside the support block is connected to the inside of the placement box, and the hot air sent in by the blower will flow into the placement box. The hot air will dry and quickly evaporate the moisture carried by the female red claw crayfish in the placement box.

[0019] S5: When the support block rotates, another placement box will gradually move to the baffle, and the groove of the placement box will be in an intersecting state with the baffle. At this time, the inspectors can continue to put the next batch of female red claw crayfish into the containment area divided by multiple partitions in the placement box, and cooperate with the X-ray machine for inspection and imaging.

[0020] S6: When the placement box, which was previously circulated by the air blower, moves quickly to the baffle as the support block rotates, the air blower can be switched to the cold air function. At this time, the cold air supplied by the air blower will cool down the placement box.

[0021] S7: By repeating the above steps, multiple batches of female redclaw crayfish can be photographed and tested to select parent crayfish that reproduce and molt synchronously, thus achieving the purpose of screening parent crayfish that lay eggs synchronously.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0023] Firstly, by using an X-ray machine, images of female redclaw crayfish can be obtained. The size and shape of the gastroliths can be used to determine the timing of reproductive molting in female redclaw crayfish, thus selecting parents that molt synchronously and achieving the goal of selecting parents that lay eggs synchronously. The gastroliths of female redclaw crayfish change from small to large four days before reproductive molting, reaching their maximum size the day before molting. Based on the size of the gastroliths, female crayfish are classified and paired for breeding according to the predicted molting time, thus obtaining individuals that mate, lay eggs, and fertilize in the same batch. These individuals are then hatched in the same pond, obtaining seedlings that hatch at the same time for efficient aquaculture. This solves the problem of not being able to determine the timing of molting, mating, and egg laying in female redclaw crayfish. It can produce a large number of redclaw crayfish seedlings that hatch within 1-3 days with uniform size and significantly improve the uniformity of the aquaculture population.

[0024] Secondly, when using an X-ray machine to photograph female redclaw crayfish, it is difficult to keep the crayfish stable by holding them manually. When startled or subjected to pressure, the crayfish will struggle, most notably by rapidly swinging its tail. This rapid tail swinging causes the image to blur, affecting the clarity of the X-ray results. Furthermore, since redclaw crayfish are in contact with water in their aquaculture environment, the water carried by their tails during the struggle will splash onto the X-ray camera lens, affecting the normal imaging. Water and light source refract light, so to maintain the clarity of the X-ray results, the liquid adhering to the X-ray lens needs to be wiped away to avoid affecting the accuracy of the images. This undoubtedly increases the workload of the inspection personnel, and repeatedly wiping the X-ray lens increases the waiting time during the inspection.

[0025] The screening device designed in this invention can replace the manual handling of red claw crayfish for X-ray imaging. A drive mechanism controls the rotation of the support block and each corresponding placement box. When the groove on one of the placement boxes intersects with a baffle, the baffle blocks the groove, facilitating the placement of female red claw crayfish inside. Furthermore, placing the female crayfish tail-down ensures the placement box covers the tail, preventing it from splashing water. The fragments splash onto the X-ray machine lens, and the multiple partitions inside each placement box can divide the interior of the placement box into multiple accommodating areas for holding multiple female redclaw crayfish. Each accommodating area not only restricts the female redclaw crayfish in a vertical position, but also restricts the range of motion of their tails, so that each female redclaw crayfish cannot swing its tail significantly inside the placement box, limiting the activity space of the crayfish's tail and head, so that the crayfish's head is in a relatively static state, so that the X-ray machine can capture clear images of the gastric bezoar.

[0026] After the female redclawed crayfish have been removed from the placement box by the testing personnel, the blower can send hot air into the unobstructed interior of the box to accelerate the evaporation of moisture trapped inside. This prevents residual moisture from affecting subsequent testing and imaging. When the blower is switched to the cool air function, it can cool down the heated placement box to prevent it from overheating and scalding the female redclawed crayfish to be tested later. At the same time, combined with the control of the drive mechanism and the multiple placement boxes set on the support block, the testing personnel can simultaneously test multiple female redclawed crayfish in batches using an X-ray machine, effectively improving testing efficiency.

[0027] Thirdly, by setting both the baffle and the groove on each placement box to be arc-shaped, and ensuring that the size of the groove on each placement box matches the size of the baffle, the baffle can be perfectly matched with the movable trajectory of each placement box. This ensures that when each placement box rotates to the position of the baffle, the groove on each placement box can pass through the baffle without colliding with it. Furthermore, when the groove of any placement box intersects with the baffle, the baffle can fill the groove of each placement box, thereby shielding the lower part of the containment area divided by multiple partitions within each placement box. This allows the red claw crayfish inside the placement box to remain above the groove for X-ray imaging of the gastric bezoar, preventing it from falling from the bottom of the placement box into the support block. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 A reference image showing the changes in the gastrolith of a female redclaw crayfish before reproductive molting;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first state structure of the placement box and the shielding component in this invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second state structure of the placement box and the shielding component in this invention;

[0034] Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the support block and the placement box in this invention.

[0035] Figure Labels

[0036] X-ray machine 1, support block 2, bracket 3, placement box 4, storage cavity 41, groove 42, opening 43, partition 44, shielding assembly 5, support plate 51, baffle 52, drive mechanism 6, air inlet 7. Detailed Implementation

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0038] The technical solutions provided by the various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] This invention provides a screening device for synchronized spawning parents of Australian freshwater crayfish, including an X-ray machine 1, a support block 2, and a bracket 3. The X-ray machine 1 is mounted on the top of the bracket 3. The support block 2 is rotatably mounted on the bracket 3 and has an internal cavity. A transparent placement box 4 is mounted on the support block 2, and a storage cavity 41 is located inside the placement box 4, which is connected to the cavity inside the support block 2. A groove 42 is provided on the placement box 4 near the bracket 3. A shielding component 5 is provided on the side of the bracket 3, and the side end of the shielding component 5 extends into the groove 42. A drive mechanism 6 that can control the rotation of the support block 2 is provided inside the bracket 3, and the output end of the drive mechanism 6 passes through the bracket 3 and is connected to the support block 2. An air inlet 7 is also provided on the support block 2, and a blower with alternating hot and cold functions is provided at the air inlet 7. The output end of the blower is connected to the interior of the air inlet 7.

[0040] Preferably, the shielding component 5 includes a support plate 51 and a baffle 52. The support plate 51 is fixedly mounted on the bracket 3, and the baffle 52 is arc-shaped and fixedly mounted on the top of the support plate 51. The side end of the baffle 52 extends toward the support block 2.

[0041] Preferably, the placement box 4 is vertically arranged, and the bottom end of the placement box 4 is fixedly connected to the support block 2; the top end of the placement box 4 is provided with an opening 43, and the groove 42 on the placement box 4 is arc-shaped, and the size of the groove 42 is adapted to the size of the baffle 52. By setting the groove 42 on the placement box 4 to be arc-shaped, the baffle 52 can be matched with the movable trajectory of the placement box 4, so that when the placement box 4 is rotated to the position of the baffle 52, the groove 42 can pass through the baffle 52.

[0042] Preferably, the placement box 4 is provided with multiple partitions 44 located above the groove 42. The partitions 44 are arranged vertically and equidistantly, and both sides of each partition 44 are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the placement box 4. The opening 43 at the top of the placement box 4 can be used to place female redclaw crayfish into the storage cavity 41 inside the placement box 4. By providing multiple partitions 44 inside the placement box 4, the interior of the placement box 4 can be divided into multiple areas for placing female redclaw crayfish, so that the X-ray machine 1 can simultaneously photograph multiple redclaw crayfish, thereby improving the detection efficiency of redclaw crayfish. At the same time, the vertical arrangement of each placement box 4 and each corresponding partition 44 ensures that when placing female redclaw crayfish between the multiple partitions 44 inside the placement box 4, each female redclaw crayfish can be in a head-up position. When the X-ray machine 1 takes pictures, multiple female redclaw crayfish can be displayed side by side in the picture, so that the inspector can compare the size of the gastric stones.

[0043] Preferably, there are multiple placement boxes 4. By setting multiple placement boxes 4, they can be used in conjunction with the drive mechanism 6 to control the rotation state of the support block 2. After one placement box 4 is used to place a female redclaw crayfish and remove it, the remaining placement boxes 4 can be put into use in sequence. This allows multiple female redclaw crayfish to be tested in batches simultaneously, thereby improving the utilization rate of the X-ray machine 1.

[0044] A screening method for a simultaneous spawning parent selection device for Australian freshwater crayfish, the screening method comprising the following steps:

[0045] S1: Before screening, start the blower and adjust it to the hot air function. The blower will send hot air into the support block 2. Then, start the drive mechanism 6 to control the rotation of the support block 2. When the support block 2 rotates, it will drive one of the placement boxes 4 to move to the baffle 52. The groove 42 on the placement box 4 will be in a cross state with the baffle 52. When the placement box 4 is in front of the X-ray machine 1, operate the drive mechanism 6 to control the support block 2 to keep it in a fixed position. At this time, the baffle 52 will block the groove 42 on the placement box 4. Then, place multiple female red claw crayfish in the placement box 4 with their tails facing down in the containment area divided by multiple partitions 44. The placement box 4 and multiple partitions 44 will simultaneously restrict the multiple female red claw crayfish, so that the tails of the female red claw crayfish cannot swing in a wide range when they struggle. The heads of the female red claw crayfish are also in a relatively still state, so that the X-ray machine 1 can detect and photograph them.

[0046] S2: Activate X-ray machine 1 to photograph the transparent placement box 4 directly in front of the lens. The inspector can then observe the gastroliths of the female redclaw crayfish on the X-ray machine 1's display screen. Based on the size of the gastroliths, the time of reproductive molting for each female redclaw crayfish in placement box 4 can be determined. The gastroliths of the female redclaw crayfish change from small to large four days before reproductive molting, reaching their maximum size the day before molting (refer to the instruction manual). Figure 1 Based on the size of the gastrolith, female shrimp are classified and paired for breeding according to the predicted molting time, thereby obtaining individuals that mate, lay eggs, and fertilize in the same batch.

[0047] S3: The inspectors sort out the female red claw crayfish that have been photographed by X-ray machine 1 in the placement box 4 according to the size of the gastrolith. Then, they continue to start the drive mechanism 6 to control the support block 2 to rotate. When the placement box 4 that has been photographed by X-ray machine 1 is gradually moved out of the baffle 52, the groove 42 on the placement box 4 will completely detach from the baffle 52.

[0048] S4: After the baffle 52 stops blocking the groove 42 on the placement box 4, the cavity in the support block 2 is in communication with the interior of the placement box 4. The hot air sent by the blower will flow into the placement box 4. The hot air will dry and evaporate the moisture carried by the female red claw crayfish in the placement box 4. As the drive mechanism 6 continues to control the support block 2 to rotate, the placement box 4, which has been photographed by the X-ray machine 1, will move to the lower part of the X-ray machine 1. At this time, the moisture in the placement box 4 will also flow out from the opening 43 as the tilt angle of the placement box 4 changes, and the hot air sent by the blower will accelerate the evaporation of moisture.

[0049] S5: When the support block 2 rotates, another placement box 4 will also gradually move to the baffle 52, and the groove 42 of the placement box 4 will also be in a cross state with the baffle 52. At this time, the inspector can continue to put the next batch of female red claw crayfish into the containment area divided by multiple partitions 44 in the placement box 4, and cooperate with the X-ray machine 1 to carry out inspection and shooting.

[0050] S6: When the placement box 4, which was previously ventilated by the blower, moves quickly to the baffle 52 as the support block 2 rotates, the blower can be switched to the cold air function. At this time, the cold air delivered by the blower will cool down the placement box 4, so that the placement box 4, which has been heated by the hot air, can be cooled down quickly to avoid the placement box 4 being too hot and burning the female red claw crayfish that need to be tested later.

[0051] S7: By repeating the above steps, multiple batches of female redclaw crayfish can be photographed and tested to select parent crayfish that reproduce and molt synchronously, thus achieving the purpose of screening parent crayfish that lay eggs synchronously.

[0052] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for the simultaneous screening of ovigerous parents of Australian freshwater crayfish, characterised in that: The system includes an X-ray machine (1), a support block (2), and a bracket (3). The X-ray machine (1) is mounted on the top of the bracket (3). The support block (2) is rotatably mounted on the bracket (3), and the support block (2) has an internal cavity. A transparent placement box (4) is provided on the support block (2). The placement box (4) has a storage cavity (41) inside, and the storage cavity (41) inside the placement box (4) is connected to the cavity inside the support block (2). A groove (4) is provided on the placement box (4) on the side closest to the bracket (3). 2) The side end of the bracket (3) is provided with a shielding component (5), and the side end of the shielding component (5) extends into the groove (42). The bracket (3) is provided with a drive mechanism (6) that can control the rotation of the support block (2), and the output end of the drive mechanism (6) passes through the bracket (3) and is connected to the support block (2). The support block (2) is also provided with an air inlet (7), and a blower with alternating hot and cold functions is provided at the air inlet (7). The output end of the blower is connected to the interior of the air inlet (7). The shielding component (5) includes a support plate (51) and a baffle (52). The support plate (51) is fixedly mounted on the bracket (3). The baffle (52) is arc-shaped and fixedly mounted on the top of the support plate (51). The side end of the baffle (52) extends toward the support block (2). The placement box (4) is vertically mounted and its bottom end is fixedly connected to the support block (2). The top of the placement box (4) has an opening (43). The groove (42) on the placement box (4) is arc-shaped, and the size of the groove (42) is adapted to the size of the baffle (52); there are multiple placement boxes (4); each placement box (4) has multiple partitions (44) located above the groove (42), the multiple partitions (44) are arranged vertically at equal intervals, and both sides of each partition (44) are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the placement box (4).

2. A screening method for a synchronous spawning parent selection device for Australian freshwater crayfish as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The screening method includes the following steps: S1: Before screening, start the blower and adjust it to the hot air function. The blower will send hot air into the support block (2). Then start the drive mechanism (6) to control the support block (2) to rotate. When the support block (2) rotates, it will drive one of the placement boxes (4) to move gradually to the baffle (52). The groove (42) on the placement box (4) will be in a cross state with the baffle (52). When the position of the placement box (4) is moved to the front of the X-ray machine (1), operate the drive mechanism (6) to control the support block (2) to keep it in a fixed position. S2: Start the X-ray machine (1) to take pictures of the transparent material placement box (4) in front of the lens. The inspectors can observe the gastroliths of the female red claw crayfish after taking pictures through the display screen of the X-ray machine (1), and judge the reproductive molting time of each female red claw crayfish in the placement box (4) according to the size of the gastroliths. The gastroliths of the female red claw crayfish change from small to large four days before the reproductive molting. The gastroliths of the female red claw crayfish are at their largest size the day before the reproductive molting. Based on the size of the gastroliths, the female crayfish are classified and paired for breeding according to the predicted molting time, so as to obtain individuals that mate, lay eggs and fertilize in the same batch. S3: The inspectors sorted and removed the female red claw crayfish that had been photographed by the X-ray machine (1) from the placement box (4) according to the size of the gastrolith. Then, they continued to start the drive mechanism (6) to control the support block (2) to rotate. When the placement box (4) that had been photographed by the X-ray machine (1) was gradually moved off the baffle (52), the groove (42) on the placement box (4) would completely detach from the baffle (52). S4: After the baffle (52) stops blocking the groove (42) on the placement box (4), the cavity in the support block (2) is in communication with the interior of the placement box (4), and the hot air sent by the blower will flow into the placement box (4). The hot air will dry and quickly evaporate the moisture carried by the female red claw crayfish in the placement box (4). S5: When the support block (2) is rotating, another placement box (4) will also gradually move to the baffle (52), and the groove (42) of the placement box (4) will also be in a cross state with the baffle (52). At this time, the inspector can continue to put the next batch of female red claw crayfish into the placement box (4) which is divided by multiple partitions (44), and cooperate with the X-ray machine (1) to carry out inspection and shooting. S6: When the placement box (4) which was previously ventilated by the blower moves quickly to the baffle (52) as the support block (2) rotates, the blower can be switched to the cold air function. At this time, the cold air delivered by the blower will cool down the placement box (4). S7: By repeating the above steps, multiple batches of female redclaw crayfish can be photographed and tested to select parent crayfish that reproduce and molt synchronously, thus achieving the purpose of screening parent crayfish that lay eggs synchronously.

Images