Temperature influence on development and calcification of Herpetocypris brevicaudata Kaufmann, 1900 (Crustacea: Ostracoda) under experimental conditions

Cultures of the freshwater ostracod Herpetocyprisbrevicaudata were kept under laboratory conditions in ordertostudy effects of water temperature on development time andcalcification process. Four culture temperatures were used:12.4,14.6, 19.8 and 23.3 °C.H. brevicaudata cultured at 19.8 and 23.3 °Cshowedhigher survival rate and faster development than thosecultured at12.4 and 14.6 °C. Water temperature also has a clearinfluence on the degree of calcification of the ostracodshells.For H. brevicaudata, the 15–19 °C temperaturerangeconstitutes a threshold below which Ca content of valvessignificantly decreases. Time required to calcify is alsolongerbelow this threshold. The increase of the calcification timedue tolower water temperatures seems to induce low survivalrates.