Eclosion of
cysts of two species of Dendrocephalus (Anostraca : Thamnocephalidae) of
potential use as food in aquaculture
J. Garcia, S. Marcano, G.
Pereira-222
Revista de Biologia
Tropical : 48
Suppl. 1 : 145-149 (from
Current Contents)
Abstract :
The use of Artemia salina nauplii as live food has
significantly aided culture of commercial fish and shrimps in recent years.
However, reported deficiencies in the nutritional value of some strains
originated the study of freshwater fairy shrimps as an alternative to
Artemia. This study presents cyst biometry for Dendrocephalus grayi and D,
spartaenovae (Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae), and the effects of some
physicochemical variables on cyst hatching The biometric characteristics of
D. grayi and D. spartaenovae are within the size range of commercial Artemia
strains. Favorable conditions to hatch D. grayi are 30°C and conductivity
near that of distilled water (<5 <mu>mhos). For D. spartaenovae,
these conditions are 28°C and 280 mu mhos. A very low salinity such as 1
ppt inhibits hatching in both species.
(Cent Univ Venezuela; Fac
Ciencias; Aptdo 47058; Caracas 1041 A; Venezuela, e-mail of J. Garcia: jvgarcia@strix.ciens.ucv.ve;
G. Pereira : gpereira@strix.ciens.ucv.ve)