Biochemical composition of Streptocephalus dichotomus Baird Branchinella kugenumaensis (Ishikawa)

Summary Estimations of total nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen protein, amino acids, lipid, carbohydrate, ash and water contents are carried out for the two fairy shrimps Streptocephalus dichotomus and Branchinella kugenumaensis.The mean values for S. dichotomus are: T.N. - 12.13%; N.P.N. - 3.49%; Protein - 54.71%; Lipid - 11.01%; Carbohydrate - 7.43% and ash - 10.44% and for B. kugenumaensis are: T.N. - 12.63%; N.P.N. - 4.92%; Protein - 48.21%; Lipid - 17.14%; Carbohydrate - 8.93% and ash - 9.17% expressed as percentage dry weight.The protein ash contents are higher in S. dichotomus while non-protein nitrogen, lipid and carbohydrate are higher in B. kugenumaensis.These biochemical fractions show no significant difference between males and females in both S. dichotomus and B. kugenumaensis.The work on Streptocephalus dichotomus formed a part of a thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the University of Madras in 1970.