Production of the meiobenthic harpacticoid copepod Canuella perplexa

Abstract

Secondary production of C. perplexa was estimated in a brackish water lagoon of the Po River Delta (Italy). Three generation peaks and a nonproductive overwintering population were observed. Estimates of the annual production of copepodites and adults using 3 methods are similar: 6.76, 6.09 and 6.78 g dry wt m-2. Egg production was 0.02 g dry wt m-2; nauplii production was 0.38 g dry wt m-2. These values show a relatively constant P/B ratio per generation (3-4). -from Authors