Effects of food density on feeding and moulting of phyllosoma larvae of the spiny lobster Panulirus homarus (Linnaeus)

Abstract

Feeding response of the laboratory reared second stage phyllosoma larvae of the spiny lobster Panulirus homarus was studied individually on a diet of newly hatched Artemia salina nauplii. The density of food affected feeding and moulting under experimental conditions. With increase in density of Artemia nauplii from 1 to 100/60 ml, consumption also increased from an average of 0.5 to 27.8 nauplii/day. Percentage consumption increased from 50 when offered 1 nauplius/ 60 ml to 80 at a ration of 5 nauplii and thereafter decreased gradually to 27.8 at a density of 100 nauplii/60 ml.