Reproductive traits of Euterpina acutifrons in a coastal area of Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

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 Ubatuba (SE Brazil), a site seasonally influenced by bottom intrusions of the relatively cold and nutrient-rich South Atlantic Central Water (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. Euterpina acutifrons carried on average 16.9 AE 6.9 eggsÁsac À1 , ranging between 10.8 AE 5.7 and 30.8 AE 7.4 eggsÁsac À1 . Estimated EPRs ranged from 6.3 AE 3.4 to 13.6 AE 4.2 eggsÁfemale À1 Áday À1 , with mean weight-specific egg production rates of 0.06 AE 0.04 and 0.17 AE 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.

Copepod Grazing Influences Diatom Aggregation and Particle Dynamics

“…Despite the high cell concentrations needed to promote aggregation in 24 h, grazing activity was still measurable in all experiments except Experiment 3. Clearance rates of 3-9.6 mL ind −1 d −1 for E. acutifrons and of 24 ± 6 mL ind −1 d −1 for C. helgolandicus were congruent with literature values for the same species, e.g., from 2.8 to 31 mL ind −1 d −1 for E. acutifrons (Sautour and Castel, 1993;de Melo Júnior et al, 2013), and from 36 to 126 mL ind −1 d −1 for C. helgolandicus (Fileman et al, 2007). The same holds for ingestion rates, our values for E. acutifrons are highly comparable with values recorded during laboratory experiments (157-225 ng Chl a ind −1 d −1 , this study vs. 360-408 ng Chl a ind −1 d −1 in Sautour and Castel, 1993).…”

Temporal changes in pelagic copepod assemblages off Ubatuba, Brazil

“…; Miyashita & Lopes ; Melo Júnior et al . ), and fish recruitment (Matsuura et al . ; Katsuragawa et al .…”

Variação temporal e crescimento do zooplâncton no litoral norte de São Paulo, com ênfase em estágios imaturos de copépodes

“…A advecção é outro fator físico que interfere no estudo da dinâmica zooplanctônica, principalmente em ambientes marinhos não confinados e deve ser levado em consideração quando se estima índices de biomassa e produtividade regionais (em pequenas escalas). Ainda, a mistura de camadas e processos de ressurgência, resultando na homogeneização ou fertilização da coluna de água, também favorece a produção secundária indiretamente, por promover maior produtividade primária (Melo-Júnior et al, 2013).…”