Life history of Caprella grandimana (Crustacea: Amphipoda) reared under laboratory conditions

Abstract

Growth, maturity, and reproduction of 112 juveniles of Caprella grandimana obtained from 26 ovigerous females were studied under laboratory conditions at 17°C, and with a 12-h photoperiod. The newly hatched juveniles were transferred to small glass containers and fed with a mixture of diatoms Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Tetraselmis chuii (1:1). After emerging from the brood pouch, caprellids were considered as Instar I (1 mm length). Sexes were not able to be identified until Instar III. In males the moulting interval gradually increased up to Instar X, producing a final instar which lived significantly longer than the previous one. Female intermoult period remained constant until they died. The body length and flagellar articles increased faster in males than females at each instar. Females reached the mature stage at Instar V and VI with a mean of 38.4 days, producing their first brood 10 days later at 49.1 days. The mean of eggs produced by each female was 7.6 and the number of offspring emerged was 5. There was a significant correlation between the average length of the female in each instar and the number of eggs and offspring per brood. This is the first time that a Mediterranean species has been successfully reared under laboratory conditions. These studies are basic for future ecotoxicological research and management of the caprellid species.

Keywords:

• Amphipod
• Caprella grandimana
• laboratory culture
• life cycle
• Tarifa Island

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

Financial support of this work was provided by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Project CGL2007-60044/BOS) co-financed by FEDER funds, and by the Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía (Project P07-RNM-02524). The first author was awarded a grant-in-aid (BES-2008-004520) from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación in support of the present study. Special thanks to Angela Ruiz-Cortina for English revision of the manuscript.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark