Effect of Starvation During Late Megalopa Stage of Mithraculus forceps (Brachyura: Majidae) on Larval Duration, Synchronism of Metamorphosis, Survival to Juvenile, and Newly Metamorphosed Juvenile Size

Authors

Joana Figueiredo, Universidade de Lisboa - Portugal; Florida Institute of TechnologyFollow
Gil Penha-Lopes, Universidade de Lisboa - Portugal
Luis Narciso, Universidade de Lisboa - Portugal
Junda Lin, Florida Institute of Technology

ORCID

0000-0001-6597-0268

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Aquaculture

ISSN

0044-8486

Publication Date

1-31-2008

Keywords

Mithraculus forceps, Starvation, Point-of-reserve-saturation, Megalopa

Abstract

Larval resistance to temporary starvation is considered a key factor for successful development in the wild. Subjecting larvae to temporary starvation during early and/or late development is occasionally used in larviculture to reduce production costs.

Mithraculus forceps is a popular species in the marine aquarium industry for their ability to control nuisance algae in aquarium tanks; a larval culture methodology was previously proposed in order to avoid collection from the wild. In an attempt to reduce production/feeding costs of M. forceps larval culture (two zoea stages and a megalopa), larvae (megalopa stage) were starved after 7 and 8 days post-hatch (DPH); starvation treatments were compared with those of the control treatment where larvae were fed continuously. No differences were found in survival to juvenile, metamorphosis synchronism or larval duration between the treatments, which suggest that at least by day 7 DPH, megalopae have already achieved the point-of-reserve-saturation (PRS) and are able to successfully metamorphose to crab stage without feeding (facultative lecithotrophic); newly metamorphosed juveniles are slightly smaller (particularly the ones starved after 7DPH). This flexible way of development might be very advantageous in the wild and might allow the reduction of costs of larval culture in captivity.

DOI

10.1016/j.aquaculture.2007.10.052

Volume

274

Issue

1

First Page

175

Last Page

180

Comments

©2007 Elsevier B.V.

NSUWorks Citation

Joana Figueiredo, Gil Penha-Lopes, Luis Narciso, and Junda Lin. 2008. Effect of Starvation During Late Megalopa Stage of Mithraculus forceps (Brachyura: Majidae) on Larval Duration, Synchronism of Metamorphosis, Survival to Juvenile, and Newly Metamorphosed Juvenile Size .Aquaculture , (1) : 175 -180. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/407.