Growth and respiration during the larval development of a tropical spider crab, Libinla ferreirae (Decapoda: Majidae)

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Abstract
Larvae of the tropical spider crab Libinia ferreirae were reared in the laboratory from hatching to metamorphosis, and their growth (dry weight, DW; ash-free dry weight, AFDW) and respiration rates were measured. Variations in the rates and patterns of growth were compared in 2 hatches (larvae from different females). The larvae of the more viable hatch grew continuously during the 2 zoeal stages and the beginning of the megalopa stage, with particularly high instantaneous growth rates in the beginning of each moult cycle. The megalopa showed decreasing biomass values prior to metamorphosis. Ash content increased significantly during and shortly after each ecdysis, then remained constant (zoeae) or decreased slightly (megalopa). In contrast, organic substance (AFDW), increased throughout most of the moult cycle. Respiration (oxygen consumption per individual) increased during development of the zoeal stages, and in the megalopa it followed a sinusoidal pattern. Weight-specific respiration rates were high near ecdysis and low during the intermoult stages of the moult cycle. Energy partitioning was compared among the different larval instars by calculating amounts of energy accumulation from AFDW and metabolic energy loss from respiration. According to these estimates, net growth efficiency (K2) decreases from the first to the last larval instar (57, 36, and 7%, respectively), whereas respiratory losses increase in the same order. L. ferreirae has been reported being associated with scyphozoans, and it is speculated that highly increasing mortality as observed during and after metamorphosis might be caused by lack of this specific substrate.

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