Laboratory rearing of the larval stages of Carcinus maenas (L.) [Crustacea: Decapoda]

Summary

Larvae of Carcinus have been reared to the crab stage for the first time in the laboratory. Artemia nauplii were successful as food from Stage II zoeae onwards and Stage I zoeae fed and moulted successfully on the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum. Animal foods smaller than Artemia were not tried, but the larvae or eggs of molluscs, echinoderms or polychaetes would probably be suitable. Entirely algal diets were unsatisfactory for complete development.

On diets of Prorocentrum and Artemia, the overall survival rates to first crab stage were about 30% and the average total development time was 57·7 days. Average duration of each larval stage, in days, was 14·8 (zoea I), 7·9 (zoea II), 9·6 (zoea III), 10·0 (zoea IV) and 15·4 (megalopa).