How important are starvation periods in early larval development for survival of Crangon septemspinosa larvae?

Abstract

Laboratory experiments on newly hatched larvae of the sand shrlmp Crangon septemspinosa were conducted to study larval vulnerability to food deprivation. Larvae subjected to 6 different feeding regimes were well adapted to temporary lack of food, dependent on time and duration of starvation periods. Critical periods for larval development were the first 24 h after hatching, stage 111 and, to a lesser extent, metamorphosis. Food deprivation during the first 7 d resulted in a prolongation of stage I and more so stage 11. After this period, larvae in the starvation treatments tended to reduce the duration of subsequent larval stages. Number of molts prior to metamorphosis ranged from 4 to 7 and were fewest in larvae fed every day. A majority (57.9 %) of the larvae reached the juvenile stage after 5 molts. Neither the duration of larval development nor the size of the juveniles obtained from the various treatments showed significant differences. The posslble importance of starvation as a recruitment regulatory process for C. septernsplnosa is discussed in terms of food availability during the major hatching period in Chesapeake Bay and adlacent waters.