Abstract
The estuarine opossum shrimp Mysidopsis almyra Bowman is a useful laboratory organism and has been cultured continuously for over three years in a recirculating artificial seawater system. This system is composed of one 57 1 and one 19 1 glass aquarium joined by a power filter and siphons. Optimal culture conditions are 20 ppt artificial seawater at 25°C and a 14∶10 hour light∶dark photoperiod. Adult mysids are maintained in the large aquarium and fed newly hatched nauplii of Artemia salina. Newly hatched M. almyra postlarvae are carried by the siphons into the smaller aquarium where they are trapped in cylinders made of 0.3 mm nesh nylon netting. One-hundred to four-hundred post-larvae are harvested each day from the system.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Literature cited
Bowman, T. E. 1964. Mysidopsis almyra, a new estuarine mysid crustacean from Louisiana and Florida. tulane Stud. Zool. 12: 15–18.
Carr, W. E. S., and C. A. Adams. 1973. Food habits of juvenile marine fishes occupying seagrass beds in the estuarine zone near Crystal River, Florida. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 102(3): 511–540.
Conte, F. S., and J. C. Parker. 1971. Ecological aspects of selected Crustacea of two marsh embayments of the Texas coast. Texas A&M Univ., Sea Grant (TAMU-SG-71-211). 184 p.
Darnell, R. M. 1961. Trophic spectrum of an estuarine community, based on studies of Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana. Ecology 42(3): 553–568.
Davis, C. C. 1966. A study of the hatching process in aquatic invertebrates XXII. Multiple membrane shedding in Mysidium columbiae (Zimmer) (Crustacea: Mysidacea). Bull. Mar. Sci. 16: 124–131.
Mackin, J. G. 1971. A study of the effect of oilfield brine effluents on biotic communities in Texas estuaries. Texas A&M Research Foundation, Project 735, 72 p.
Markle, D. F., and G. C. Grant. 1970. The summer food habits of young-of-the year striped bass in three Virginia rivers. Chesapeake Sci. 11(1):50–54.
Nimmo, D. R., L. H. Bahner, R. A. Rigby, J. M. Shepard, and A. J. Wilson, Jr. 1977. Mysidopsis bahia: an estuarine species suitable for life-cycle toxicity tests to determine the effects of a pollutant, p. 109–116. In F. L. Mayer and J. L. Hamelink (eds.) Aquatic Toxicology and Hazard Evaluation. ASTM STP-634.
Nimmo, D. R., T. L. Hamaker, and C. A. Sommers. 1978a. Culturing the mysid (Mysidopsis bahia) in flowing seawater or a static system, p. 59–60. In Bioassay procedures for the ocean disposal permit program. EPA-600/9-78-010.
Nimmo, D. R., T. L. Hamaker, and C. A. Sommers 1978b. Entire life cycle toxicity test using mysids (Mysidopsis bahia) in flowing water, p. 64–68. In Bioassay procedures for the ocean disposal permit program. EPA-600/9-78-010.
—, R. A. Rigby, L. H. Bahner, and J. M. Shepard. 1978c. The acute and chronic effects of cadmium on the estuarine mysid, Mysidopsis bahia. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 19(1): 80–85.
Ogle, J., and W. Price. 1976. Growth of the shrimp, Penaeus aztecus fed a diet of live mysids (Crustacea: Mysidacea). Gulf Res. Rept. 5(2): 46–47.
Price, W. W. 1976. The abundance and distribution of Mysidacea in the shallow waters of Galveston Island, Texas. Ph.D. Dissertations, Texas A&M University, College Station.
— 1978. Occurrence of Mysidopsis almyra Bowman, M. bahia Molenock and Bowmaniella brasiliensis Bacescu (Crustacea: Mysidacea) from the eastern coast of Mexico. Gulf Res. Rept. 6(2): 173–175.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Corps of Engineers. 1977. Ecological evaluation of proposed discharge of dredged material into ocean waters. Environmental Effects Lab, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Exp. Station. Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Reitsema, L.A. A recirculating artificial seawater system for the laboratory culture of Mysidopsis almyra (Crustacea; Pericaridea). Estuaries 3, 321–323 (1980). https://doi.org/10.2307/1352089
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1352089