Pressure effects on the respiration of vertically migrating decapod crustacea

Abstract

SYNOPSIS. The respiration of five species of North Atlantic decapods was measured under conditions of pressure and temperature which allow calculation of the metabolism of these animals in the oceans. The species were: Systellaspis debilis, Acanthephyra purpurea, Oplophorus spinosus, Parapandalus richardi, and Sergestes crassus. Results indicate a tendency for metabolism to remain relatively constant with depth, the decrease due to lower temperature offset by an increase due to rising pressure. This contrasts with previous work with epipelagic euphausids which tended to have greatly reduced metabolism with increasing depth. Perhaps the metabolic rate of the decapods must remain high enough for them to remain effective predators throughout their depth range, by day as well as night. © 1971 by the American Society of Zoologists.