Life cycle of Scapholeberis armata freyi Dumont & Pensaert, 1983 (Cladocera, Daphnidae)

Abstract

Knowledge of the life cycle of zooplankton species can provide information for a better understanding of the role of each species in the community and basic data for secondary production investigations. In this study, some life-cycle traits were measured for Scapholeberis armata freyi Dumont & Pensaert, 1983 (Cladocera, Daphnidae), maintained under controlled conditions in laboratory cultures. Experiments were carried out in incubators at a temperature of 23.0 ºC, photoperiod of 12 hours light/dark, and food supply (algal suspension of the chlorophycean Pseudokirchneriela subcapitata at 10(5) cells.mL-1 and mixed suspension of yeast, and fish ration added per organism, at equal proportions) that were kept constant. Observations were made once or twice a day to record individual growth, age and size of primipara, as well as fecundity and longevity. S. armata freyi achieved a maximum size of 827 µm, while the primiparous instar measured 542 µm on average, at an age of 5.86 days. The mean fecundity was 8 eggs.female-1 and the mean of total number of eggs produced by a female was 47.58. Embryonic development time was 1.9 days and the maximum longevity found was 31 days. In this study, the life cycle parameters of S. armata freyi presented are close to those found in other species of Daphnidae, under the same culture conditions of temperature and photoperiod. However, the longevity was greater than other species that received algae as food only. The quality and quantity of food are factors that control secondary production in aquatic ecosystems and an increase of food availability increases longevity and egg production. Thus the greater longevity and egg production observed for S. armata freyi can influence its secondary production.

Egg production and life history of Alona guttata Sars, 1862 (Cladocera, Chydoridae): implications for colonization of temporary ponds

“…Therefore, although neonates of A. guttata had shown a lower mean size in relation to others Chydoridae cladocerans, neonates growth increases substantially during the experiment. The observed mean size for parthenogenetic females of A. guttata are similar to that registered to others Chydoridae cladocerans (Melão and Rocha, 2006;Castilho et al, 2012). Table 1.…”

“…Although the egg production of A. guttata can be considered low in relation to others species of Chydoridae (Melão and Rocha, 2006;Castilho et al, 2012), the association of longer life cycle and the constant breeding may represent an efficient life history aspect favoring the maintenance of the population and recolonization of Alona guttata in temporary ponds. In our experiments, parthenogenetic females of A. guttata were able to produce eggs 8 days after hatching, in addition to produce a large number of broods per female.…”

Life history and DNA barcode of Oxyurella longicaudis (Birgei, 1910) (Cladocera, Anomopoda, Chydoridae)

“…The flat body of Chydoridae members prevents a higher yield of eggs per brood, as occurs with the representatives of other Cladocera families. For example, the Daphnidae Scapholeberis armata freyi produce up to 16 eggs brood −1 (Castilho et al 2012) and the Sididae Pseudosida ramosa produces on average 3.4 eggs brood −1 when cultured at 25°C (Freitas and Rocha 2006). Moreover, the low fecundity rate of Chydoridae is related to the low levels of population growth of species (Martínez-Jerónimo and Gómez-Díaz 2011).…”

“…Ecotoxicology studies aim to control the environmental quality and the ability of zooplankton organisms to swim against a gradient of turbulence (Seuront et al 2004;Santos-Wisniewski et al 2002;Freitas and Rocha 2006;Castilho et al 2012). In Brazil, studies on the life cycle of Chydoridae have been done on species such as Chydorus dentifer and Acroperus harpae, Chydorus pubescens, Coronatella rectangula, and Alona iheringula by Melão (1997), Santos-Wisniewski et al (2006), Viti et al (2013), and Silva et al (2014), respectively.…”

First record of Scapholeberis freyi Dumont and Pensaert, 1983 (Crustacea:Anomopoda: Daphniidae) from Colombia

“…In this manuscript, we also identified S. freyi as independent species, instead of subspecies. In America this species has been previously recorded in Canada, United State of America, Mexico, Paraguay, and Brazil (Dumont & Pensaert 1983, Quiroz-Vázquez & Elias-Gutiérrez 2009, Almeida Castilho et al 2012. This is the first report for Colombia expanding the occurrence of S. freyi in South America.…”