Abstract
Rhincalanus nasutus was cultured through seven consecutive generations in 19‐liter carboys when provided with a mixture of diatoms and Artemia salina nauplii as food. The mean generation length was 8.7 weeks, similar to that of the local field population of this species during some seasons. Fecundity of laboratory‐reared animals was lower than that of the field population. Instantaneous coefficients of individual exponential growth (k in the expression, W = W0 ekt, where W is body weight of organic carbon and t is days) were 0.24 to 0.12/day, depending on the age of the individual. About 10 µg of detrital carbon were produced as exuviae during the growth of an individual. Even young nauplii fed preferentially on large food particles. The suggestion that the copepods’ first antennae are used in the feeding process was not supported by an experimental test. R. nasutus nauplii are apparently active enough to avoid being eaten by their parents.
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