SPAWNING AND REARING OF THE PENAEID PRAWN, METAPENAEUS AFFINIS (H. MILNE EDWARDS) IN THE LABORATORY

Abstract

The results of two experiments on the spawning and large-scale rearing of Metapermem affims under laboratory conditions are reported. The nauplius larva hatched out about 8 hours after spawning while protozoea I, mysis I and postlarva I were attained, after 46 hours, 189 hours and 322 hours respectively. While the nauplii thrived on the reserve yolk, protozoea larvae were fed, with varying effects, with cultures of unicellular algae viz., Synechocystes marina and Tetraselmis gracilis and the diatom, Thalassiosira sp. Thalassiosira sp., was found to be the best food in protozoea stage. In mysis stage, they were fed with Anemia larvae, whereas, in post-larval stages artificial diets were given as food. The morphological features of the different larval stages are described in detail