The effect of temperature and salinity on survival and growth of Crangon uritai (Decapoda: Crangonidae) larvae reared in the laboratory

Larvae of the decapod Crangon uritai were reared in the laboratory in a factorial experiment employing three temperatures (9, 12 and 15 °C) and three salinities (29‰, 32‰ and 35‰) from hatching to the post‐larval stage. The effects of temperature and salinity on survival, intermolt period (IP) and molt increment (MI) were investigated. Larvae from one brood were subdivided into groups of 20 and reared in glass bowls containing filtered sea‐water at a number of temperature–salinity combinations. The reared larvae were transferred daily to the clean bowls prepared with newly hatched Artemianauplii, and number of molts and mortality within each bowl were recorded. The zoeal size (carapace length) was determined from exuvia and dead larvae, and the IP was also recorded. Larvae of C. uritai completed larval development only at 15 °C temperature. The first zoeal stage completed their development at all temperature–salinity combinations and exhibited the highest survival rate. IP at each stage increased with increasing size and greatly decreased with increasing temperature, and intermolt duration (range of days) increased with larval development especially at the lower temperature. Although the MI decreased with increasing size, it was little affected by temperature. This led to a better growth rate with increasing temperature.