@article{article_1977607, title={Tenebrio molitor larvae meal as fish meal alternative: impacts in juvenile narrow-clawed crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus)}, journal={Journal of Anatolian Environmental and Animal Sciences}, year={2026}, DOI={10.35229/jaes.1977607}, url={https://izlik.org/JA29BT53WN}, author={Uzunmehmetoğlu, Oğuz Yaşar and Bahadır Koca, Seval and Özmen, Özlem and Erol, Kamile Gonca and Özdoğan, Hasan Batuhan Emre and Koca, Habil Uğur and Öztuna, İsmail Hakkı and Akın, Mustafa}, keywords={Balık unu ikamesi, büyüme performansı, histopatoloji, kerevit, Tenebrio molitor.}, abstract={A 60-day trial examined replacing fish meal (FM) protein with defatted Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae meal in diets for juvenile narrow-clawed crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus). Six isonitrogenous, isoenergetic diets with 0–100% FM protein replacement were tested on 600 stage II juveniles (four replicates of 25 per treatment). Growth performance was similar between the control and 40% TM groups (final weight and SGR did not differ significantly, p>0.05), but replacement levels above 40% significantly reduced growth and survival, with the 100% TM group showing the lowest final weight and survival (48%). Molting frequency and cheliped injury did not differ across treatments. Histological analysis showed normal hepatopancreas and intestine in the control and 20% TM groups. At ≥40% TM inclusion, hepatopancreatic damage (pigment deposits, elevated B-cell counts, degeneration, necrosis) and progressive shortening of intestinal villi were observed, along with luminal content stasis. Overall, up to 20% FM replacement with TM larvae meal can be used safely without harming growth or gut/hepatopancreas health, while higher inclusion levels risk long-term digestive tissue damage.}, number={2026}