LEOA - Experimental Laboratory for Aquatic Organisms

LEOA - Experimental Laboratory for Aquatic Organisms, is a vivarium for the maintenance and cultivation of aquatic organisms to support teaching and research that takes place within the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Algarve.

This vivarium consists of a laboratory area comprising a laboratory and a sampling room where different modules are taught, as well as a compartment or rooms that can be divided mainly into three fundamental areas: dry area, wet area and containers.

All circuits for the maintenance of experimental animals work in a closed or recirculating system - in which part or all of the water that passes through the tanks returns to the tanks after treatment. This type of system ensures greater control over the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of the water.

The main species kept/cultivated are gilt-head bream (Sparus aurata), Lusitanian toadfish (Halobatrachus didactylus), sea bass ( Dicentrachus labrax); sea bream (Diplodus sp.), eel (Enguilla enguilla), dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), Sole (Solea senegalensis), Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), Carp (Cyprinus carpio); eastern mosquitofish (Gambusis holbrooki), goldfish (Carassius auratus), zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus). Experimental work with animals includes the areas of ecology, nutrition, production technologies, ethology, endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, osmoregulation physiology, genetics, etc.

E-mail: jquintel@ualg.pt