The egg potential in two species of Euphausiacea (Crustacea) of the Southeastern Arabian Sea

Abstract

The egg potential in two species of euphauiiids has been studied and it showed that in the mature ovary of Thysanopoda tricuspidata ova of four distinct phases of development were present. A little increase in size of the mature eggs was noticed with increase in body leng Ji. The number of ripe eggs in the ovary of different specimens examined ranged between 36 and 60 while the total number of the ova in the ovary ranged between 328 and 414. The ovaries showed two batches of maturing ova and one batch of fully mature ova which indicated that more than one spawning takes place in T. tricuspidata during one season. In the second species namely Stylocheiron indicum, 2-3 eggs which were not exactly spherical were found attached to the thoracic legs of some females.