Ecological Studies on Larvae of the Crabs Belonging to the Genus Chionoecetes—I*1The Influence of Starvation on the Survival and Growth of the Zuwai Crab

Abstract

The influence of starvation on the survival and growth of larvae of the zuwai crab, Chionoecetes opilio, were investigated in the laboratory. Out of 150 newly hatched individuals of zoea reared without food, about 80 per cent of them survived for 7 days, but none of them lived longer than 18 days. Fifty zoeas of the second stage administered sufficient food during the first stage were also reared without food. More than 80 per cent of the zoeas to which no food was given survived for 12 days, but none of them lived longer than 18 days. The initial delay of feeding brought about the prolongation of the intermolt period. The period of the prolongation was almost equal to the duration of delay of feeding, if its duration was within a week. On the other hand, in the case of delay beyond 7 days a longer prolongation than the period of the initial delay resulted. If the larvae were starved for 14 days, all the animals died within 20 days without molt. © 1979, The Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. All rights reserved.