Effects of diet on growth and development of three species of cyclopoid copepods

Megacyclops viridis (Jurine, 1820), Macrocyclops albidus (Jurine, 1820) and Acanthocyclops vernalis (Fischer, 1853) were raised in the laboratory at six temperatures (5, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 20 °C) and fed five different diets. The diets consisted of: a large ciliate Paramecium caudatum, a small ciliate Colpidium campylum, a mixture of P. caudatum and C. campylum, the cladoceran Daphnia hyalina, and nauplii of brine shrimp Artemia salina. Data was collected on development time, growth and adult size achieved. The results indicated that in all three species development and growth are faster on the diet of crustacea and Paramecium than on Colpidium. Female M. viridis and M. albidus do not develop beyond the stage V copepodid at low temperatures on the diet of Colpidium.