Carbon content of some common tropical Andaman Sea copepods

Abstract

Individual carbon contents of eight common copepod species from the Andaman Sea were determined. Length–carbon regressions are presented for four calanoids (Acrocalanus gibber, Centropages furcatus, Temora discaudata and Euchaeta spp.), two cyclopoids (Oncaea spp. and Corycaeus spp.) and two harpacticoids (Macrosetella gracilis and Microsetella spp.). The copepod specimens were obtained from different localities and times of the year during 1996–1997. The regression coefficients are good in calanoid and cyclopoid copepods, but poor in the harpacticoids. The slope values range from 2.3 to 3.8 in the calanoids to 1.2 and 1.6 in the harpacticoids, while the cyclopoids have slope values of 2.0 and 2.9. The equations derived from this study are expected to be general characteristics, which are applicable for the calculation of copepod biomass and production in tropical areas.