Effects of temperature and size on molting of euphausiid crustaceans

Abstract

The effects of temperature and body size on the intermolt periods (molting frequencies) of the North Pacific euphausíid Euphausia pacifica and the Mediterranean forms of Meganyctiphanes norvegica, Euphausia krohnii, Nematoscelis megalops, and Nyctiphanes couchii were studied under controlled conditions in the laboratory. Mean intermolt periods for E. pacifica and M. norvegica were inversely and linearly related to temperature, over temperature ranges which the euphausiids normally encounter in the sea. At higher temperatures there was a tendency for three size groups of M. norvegica to approach a minimum intermolt period independent of temperature. M. norvegica cycled for different time periods between 13° and 18°C molted regularly at mean frequencies which would be expected if the animals had been held constantly at the timeweighted means of the two experimental temperatures. The increase in mean intermolt period per unit weight was faster in small, fast-growing M. norvegica than in large, slow-growing adults. This relationship was corroborated by following the changes in the intermolt period of an actively growing individual N. couchii over an 11 month period. Neither feeding nor the time of year of collection affected the molting frequency as long as temperature and animal weight were held constant. No tendency was found for euphausiids of the same species and/or size, and from the same collection, to molt on the same night. Molting occurred at night 80 to 90% of the time for all species, over the temperature ranges normally experienced by the euphausiids in the sea, and over all animal weights tested. There appeared to be a weakening of the night-time molting rhythm at low temperatures. Although neither temperature nor anímal weight substantially affected the night-time molting rhythm, both affected the mean intermolt period. Therefore, both temperature and body size apparently act together to adjust the length of the intermolt period of each individual in increments of whole days, but they exert little control over time of molting within any 24h period. No information was obtained regarding the factors which specify night-time molting over daytime molting within any 24 h period; however, regulation of certain hormone activities is probably involved.