Larval development as influenced by food limitation in two polychaetes: Capitella sp. and Polydora ligni Webster

• Published in: Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology Vol. 166; no. 1; pp. 93 - 105
• Main Authors: Qian, Pei-Yuan, Chia, Fu-Shiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.02.1993; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Capitella sp; Development; Food limitation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Organic C content; Polydora ligni; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Settlement; Canada; British Columbia; North America; America; Development; Settlement; Food limitation; Capitella sp; Polydora ligni; Organic C content; Marine environment; Organic carbon; Fasting; Larva; Polychaeta; Mortality; Body size; Trophic factor; Substrate attachment; Invertebrata; Annelida
• ISSN: 0022-0981; 1879-1697
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-0981(93)90080-8

Effects of food limitation (“starvation”) on larval mortality and development of Capitella sp. and Polydora ligni Webster from Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada, were examined. Larvae of Capitella sp. “starved” (not fed particulates > 0.45 μm) for 1–3 wk had a significantly lower growth rate than their fed siblings, but the organic C content of “starved” larvae increased during early stages of “starvation”. When larvae of P. ligni were “starved” for 1, 2, or 3 wk, growth was retarded but organic C content remained unchanged. Mortality of the “starved” larvae of both species was not significantly different from that of fed ones in the first 2 wk, but was higher in the third week. Our study also indicates that larvae of Capitella sp. were capable of continuing to develop and to settle if feeding was resumed after 2 wk of “starvation”, and a point-of-no-return was reached sometime between 2 to 3 wk.