The effect of diet and temperature on reproductive rate in Arcella vulgaris Ehrenberg (Sarcodina: Testacida)

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Abstract
The acceptability of bacterial, algal and fungal food cources as manifested by reproductive rate was investigated in Arcella vulgaris at 5°C intervals between 10°C-25°C. Bacteria and diets containing bacteria produced the highest rates of reproduction, a fungal diet induced the lowest rate of reproduction. On all diets reproductive rate increased with temperature up to 20°C, thereafter levelling out. Generation times were long, ranging from 64 h to 95 h, depending on diet and temperature. Consumption experiments using bacteria as food indicated that energy consumption was independent of temperature.