FEEDING BEHAVIOR OF Apocyclops spartinus (COPEPODA: CYCLOPOIDA) ON Pavlova lutheri (HAPTOPHYTA) IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS

Sánchez-Dávila P.P.A.; Flores-Valiente J.; Gil-Kodaka P. · Ecologia Aplicada (2024) · DOI: 10.21704/rea.v23i2.2216

Resumen

The copepod Apocyclops spartinus's predatory behavior was described on naupliar and adult stages (males and females) in function of its mandibular border under laboratory conditions. To describe this, filtration and ingestion rates on microalgae Pavlova lutheri were estimated in three copepod ontogenetic phases: 1) nauplii (i-iii), 2) metanauplii (iv-vi) and 3) adults (males and females) between 3 to 30 hours of consumption in five intervals, at 24 °C and 35 PSU (Practical Salinity Units). Ingestion rate was higher in females (60.7%) than in males (36.1%), metanauplii (2.5%) and nauplii (0.6%). Highest filtration rate was recorded by the metanauplii (52.3%), followed by the females (24.2%), males (12%) and nauplii (11.5%). The potential and exponential models described the relationship between ingestion/hours and filtration/hours, those recorded parameters as negative superindexes, explaining higher dietary demand by adults over naupliary stages and depicted an asymptote for established balance between copepod satiety and food rejection due to the loss of nutritional value. In summary, Itoh's mandibular edge index classified A. spartinus within the carnivorous spectrum; however, its feeding behavior, which relies on mobile microalgae, demonstrated an active ambush predatory strategy rather than passive foraging. © Departamento Académico de Biología, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima – Perú.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia; Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina