Date of Award

Spring 1980

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Ocean & Earth Sciences

Program/Concentration

Oceanography

Committee Director

Anthony J. Provenzano

Committee Member

Harris H. White

Committee Member

Chester Grosch

Committee Member

George C. Grant

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.O35 G63

Abstract

Laboratory grazing and assimilation experiments were conducted on the mysid shrimp Neomysis americana in an attempt to assess the suitability of three potential food sources. It was hypothesized that the smaller size classes were primarily herbivores, not becoming omnivorous until attaining lengths of approximately 5-6 mm. Four size classes of mysids from the summer generation, juveniles, immature, adult males, and adult ovigerous females were each fed three concentrations of Artemia salina nauplii, the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis, and the diatom Coscinodiscus lineatus. The mean lengths of the size classes utilized, plus or minus one standard deviation, were 2.5 ± 0.4 mm, 4.5 ± 0.5 mm, 8.0 ± 0.5 mm and 8.5 ± 0.6 mm respectively. Grazing experiments were conducted for 24 hours under 12 hour light:12 hour dark photoperiods at 15 °C. On a dry weight basis, ingestion was found to increase with decreasing prey and predator size. Percent assimilations on the various food sources were determined according to Conover's (1966) ratio method. Results indicate that while the smaller shrimp are omnivores, they are unable or unwilling to ingest Artemia nauplii. Assimilation rates are highest for all sizes when fed on the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. Rotifers were the food source highest in organics (88.5 ± 3.4%) and are judged to be the most suitable food of the three offered for future culture attempts.

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DOI

10.25777/sr2n-4t37

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