Ng, N.K., Y.Y. Li,, T.J Lam, J.Y. Guo
The temperate euryhaline crab Eriocheir sinensis Milne Edwards 1853 was first introduced into the tropical Singapore in 1992. The aim of this study was to obtain fundamental information on the effect of temperature on the larvae development and survival of this temperate species under tropical environment. The mature crabs were obtained from Haimen, Jiangsu Province, China and allowed to mate and spawn in Singapore between the period of 1992 and 1995. Observations on the larval development and survival under the temperature from 19 C to 29 C were done. The survival rate of the zoeal stage one and two has been observed to be very low above the temperature of 23 C but the survival rate from 19 C to 22 C was observed to range from 80% to 10%. However, after zoeal stage two, the larva can develop safely to reach the first juvenile stage between the temperature of 27 C-29 C which is the natural water temperature in Singapore.
(School of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119260)
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