Population growth, nauplii production and post-embryonic development of Pseudodiaptomus annandalei (Sewell, 1919) in response to temperature, light intensity, pH, salinity and diets

Abstract

The present attempt revealed influence of salinity, temperature, pH, light intensity and diet on survival, fecundity, population density and embryonic development of the marine calanoid copepod, <em>Pseudodiaptomus annandalei</em>. Various levels of salinity <em>viz</em>., 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 ppt; temperature (21, 24, 27, 30, 33, and 36 °C); pH (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8.0, and 8.5); light intensity (500, 1500, 3000, and 4500 lux); and different microalgal feed <em>viz</em>., <em>Chlorella marina </em>(CHL),<em> Isochrysis galbana </em>(ISO),<em> Tetraselmis suecica </em>(TET),<em> Nannochloropsis occulata </em>(NAN),<em> Dunaliella salina </em>(DUN),<em> Picochlorum maculatum </em>(PICO) and mixed microalgae (MIX) at equal ratio were employed to determine the impact on biology of <em>P. annandalei</em>. The better survival and reproduction was achieved under the salinity 25 ppt, temperature 27 °C, pH 8, light intensity 500 lux and with ISO diet. The developmental time was recorded to be short at 25 ppt, 30 ºC, pH 8 and light intensity 500 lux with ISO diet. Although, the highest yield was obtained under those parameter regimes, <em>P. annandalei </em>seems to be optimistic with wide range of environmental conditions. This study has confirmed that <em>P. annandalei </em>can be cultured at commercial scale as aqua feed and as model organism in toxicity experiments.