Abstract: Twelve Paternal half-sib families and twenty-four Maternal half-sibs families of sea cucumber,Apostichopus japonicus,were obtained using artificial fertilization of two females by one male with an unbalanced nest design.The body length,body weight,and number and length of the pallets were measured statistically and heritabilities were estimated in thirty 3 and 4 month old individuals in each full-sib family.The heritabilities of the four growth traits were estimated to be 0.304-0.419 for body length,0.138-0.24 for body weight,for pallet number,0.191-0.404 and 0.131-0.378 for pallet length,indicating that the four growth traits are under additive genetic control and are expected to respond to selection,potential genetic improvement for growth rate in sea cucumber.
2010, Vol. 25 
