The development of the brine shrimp Artemia salina (L.): a morphometric approach

Growth allomentry in the development of the brine shrimp Artemia salina (L.) was studied. Body width and abdomen length show a negative allometric relation to body length ( k =0.35 and 0.72 respectively) over th eight instars studied. Antennule length shows a negative allometric relation in respect to body length, with a change in the value of the growth constant at Instar Five from 0.31 to 0.75. Thoracic limb length shows a high positive relation to body length ( k =3.0) until Instar Six, when a negative allometric phase ( k =0.4) follows. A change in the sign of the growth constant from positive ( k =0.45) to negative ( k =-1.4) is noted for the length of the 2nd antenna in relation to body length.