Morphology and biometry of three populations of Artemia (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico

Abstract

The morphology and biometry of two populations of Artemia sp. from the Fortuna and Botoncillo salterns in Puerto Rico and one from the Monte Cristi saltern in the Dominican Republic were compared. The genitalia, dehydrated cysts, and the male second antennae were compared between populations. Biometric differences were assessed by comparing adult morphology and body length, length of freshly hatched nauplii, and hydrated cyst diameter. All organisms used in the study were cultured under identical laboratory conditions. Significant differences were detected in the length of the adults, first instar naupliar length, and hydrated cyst diameter. Differences were detected in the general shape, ectodermal ridge structure, and spination of the brood pouch and the eversible portion of the penes. Caribbean populations were shown to differ from A. franciscana in some characters considered in this study. The results suggest that female brood pouch morphology is the most useful morphological character to discriminate between the three Caribbean populations. Breeding experiments, karyotype, protein electrophoresis and DNA sequencing studies are needed to supplement these findings and to evaluate the phylogenetic and taxonomic status of these populations.