Controlled Rearing of Dungeness Crab Larvae and the Influence of Environmental Conditions on Their Survival.

摘要

The research describes the effects of various environmental factors on crab larvae survival and behavior. Tests were conducted on cultured zoeae and megalopae and on wild megalopae. Studies showed that the highest survival (93.3%) of crab larvae through the fifth zoeal stage occured when they were reared in a closed environment. Newly hatched San Francisco brine shrimp, when fed at concentrations of five per ml of rearing water, were the most satisfactory food source. Optimum larvae densities appeared to be five zoeae per 200 ml of rearing water. All cultured crab megalopae were significantly smaller than those larve collected from Yaquina Bay. Diet concentration appeared to affect size. (Modified author abstract)