Taurine-Dominated Feeding Attractant Mixture Induces Efficient Foraging in Neptunea cumingii.

The Neptunea cumingii (N. cumingii) fishing industry has long relied on expensive and perishable skate (Raja porosa) meat as bait. The unknown chemical attraction mechanism has hindered the development of artificial alternatives. This study employed untargeted metabolomics to analyze the chemical composition of skate meat and combined quantitative behavioral analysis to identify four key attractant compounds. These compounds were taurine, glutamate (Glu), inositol, and lactate. A standardized behavioral assessment system was established using the three parameters of response time, displacement distance, and movement velocity. This system enabled precise quantification of attraction efficacy. Concentration-gradient experiments determined the optimal concentration for all four compounds as 0.1 M. Taurine exhibited the strongest single-compound activity. It reduced response time by 50% and increased displacement distance by 164.5%. The mixture of four compounds at 0.1 M produced significant synergistic effects. The mixture achieved a comprehensive score of 93.6. This score approached that of natural skate meat at 94.8. All behavioral parameters improved by over 69% compared to the best single compound. These findings reveal the key attractant components in skate meat. They provide a scientific basis for developing efficient and stable artificial attractants. This research holds substantial value for promoting sustainable development of the N. cumingii fishing industry.