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Reproductive traits of E uterpina acutifrons in a coastal area of S outheastern B razil
Author(s) -
Melo Júnior Mauro,
Miyashita Leonardo K.,
Silva Naira J.,
Gaeta Salvador A.,
Lopes Rubens M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
marine ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.668
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1439-0485
pISSN - 0173-9565
DOI - 10.1111/maec.12041
Subject(s) - biology , hatching , copepod , zoology , pelagic zone , zooplankton , population , plankton , ecology , crustacean , demography , sociology
We investigated the reproductive biology of the planktonic harpacticoid copepod Euterpina acutifrons , including morphometric data, egg production rates ( EPR ) and viability, and weight‐specific egg production. Experiments were carried out during 1 year in an inner‐shelf area off U batuba ( SE B razil), a site seasonally influenced by bottom intrusions of the relatively cold and nutrient‐rich South A tlantic C entral W ater ( SACW ). We hypothesized that E . acutifrons attain higher reproductive rates when SACW penetrates in this region. Live females were incubated individually in cell culture plates during two periods of 24 h each, under controlled temperature and light conditions. E uterpina acutifrons carried on average 16.9 ± 6.9 eggs·sac −1 , ranging between 10.8 ± 5.7 and 30.8 ± 7.4 eggs·sac −1 . Estimated EPR s ranged from 6.3 ± 3.4 to 13.6 ± 4.2 eggs·female −1 ·day −1 , with mean weight‐specific egg production rates of 0.06 ± 0.04 and 0.17 ± 0.08 per day. Euterpina acutifrons was not directly influenced by SACW intrusions, but body length and clutch size were positively related to temperature and chlorophyll content. Egg hatching time was clearly dependent on water temperature, as a 2 °C increase resulted in a decrease of 15 h in egg hatching time. This shows that even a small variation in temperature may considerably affect E . acutifrons population dynamics. Reproductive traits of this pelagic harpacticoid seem, therefore, to be controlled by the trade‐offs between increased food supply and the metabolic demands at low temperatures associated with SACW bottom intrusions toward this coastal area.