Age-specific survival analysis of an infaunal meiobenthic harpacticoid copepod, Amphiascus tenuiremis

Abstract

Survival analysis was used to calculate age-specific life expectancy (ex) for the benthic harpacticoid copepod Amphiascus tenuiremis Mielke, 1974. Gravid females were collected and held in brooding chambers to produce nauplii for the experiment. A cohort of 110 one-day-old nauplii was sampled on a weekly basis for survival and fecundity data until all of the original cohort members had died Survival data was then used in an abridged life table to calculate life expectancy. Mortality in the cohort was extremely high during the first 2 wk of life wlth only 57% surviving to Week 3 Life expectancy for a newborn nauplius was 5.4 wk while a copepod surviving for 2 kvk could be expected to live an additional 6 9 wk. Maximum longevity observed in the cohort was 21.5 wk.