Study of digestive enzymes in wild specimens of Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797)

The distribution of digestive enzymes in different organs (salivary gland, stomach, caecum and digestive gland) of wild cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) and common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) specimens was studied in order to set up feeding regimes for these attractive candidate species for Mediterranean aquaculture. In both species, a high content of total proteases was measured, in agreement with their carnivorous diet; these enzymes showed higher activities in the salivary gland. Trypsin and chymotrypsin were higher in the salivary gland of cuttlefish than in common octopus, although no significant differences between both species were found. In common octopus trypsin and chymotrypsin predominated in caecum. Amylase content was high in the salivary gland, with similar levels in octopus and cuttlefish. Overall, the enzymatic patterns found in the examined specimens suggested the occurrence of a wide range of digestive enzymes in the salivary gland, decreasing values of amylase from salivary gland to caecum and the preferential localisation of lipase in the digestive gland.