Abstract: Goose barnacle Capitulum mitella is a seafood with high nutrition and multiple biological and health benefits. To study its digestive functionality can provide theoretical foundation for its breeding. Five major digestive enzyme activities of the adu lt goose barnacle (Rostral-carinal length ＞ 11 mm) and the effects of different temperature and pH values on activities of the digestive enzymes were studied by enzyme analysis. The results indicate that the activities of trypsin-like protease, pepsin, amylase, cellulase, and lipase were determined in alimentary tract and affected obviously by temperature and pH values. The optimal temperatures for the activities of trypsin-like protease, pepsin, and amylase were 55 ℃ , and 45 ℃ for cellulose, and 35 ℃ for lipase, respectively. The optimal pH values for trypsin-like protease, pepsin, and amylase were 10.8, 2.5, and 5.9, respectively at 55 ℃ , and those for cellulase and lipase were 4.2 - 5.5 at 35 ℃ and 7.0 - 7.5 at 45 ℃ . The activities of five digestive enzymes were in an order from strong to weak: trypsin-like protease, pepsin, amylase, cellulase, and lipase in alimentary tract at the most favorable reacting temperature and pH. The low ratio of Amylase/Trypsi ( A/T) indicates that Capitulum mitella is a kind of carnivorous crustacean.

Key words: Capitulum mitella , digestive enzyme activities;temperature;pH;feeding habits