Vol. 43 No. 2, 2004

The Natural Diet of Apocyclops panamensis at a Shrimp Farm on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua

Roberto Cano*, Scarleth Ráudez and Evelyn Hooker

Departamento de Hidrobiología, Centro para la Investigación en Recursos Acuáticos de Nicaragua, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua, PO Box 4598, Managua, Nicaragua

Roberto Cano, Scarleth Ráudez and Evelyn Hooker (2004) Gut contents of 1150 adults of Apocyclops panamensis were examined to obtain information on its feeding habits in extensive shrimp ponds during a 16-week period (10 June ~ 5 Sept. 1999). Temporal changes in the relative abundance of ingested algae were studied and compared with the natural phytoplankton assemblage in the pond. The phytoplankton community was comprised of diatoms and blue-green and green algae; total abundance varied between 1.11 x 104 and 10.2 x 104 cells/ml, of which blue-green algae, such as Lyngbya limnetica, Spirulina nodosa, and Anabaenopsis sp., were the most abundant. During the study period, diatoms made up 89% of the algal cells consumed by A. panamensis. Among the diatoms, Nitzschia sp. was most important, while Navicula sp. and Amphora ovalis were also substantial. The green alga, Chlorella sp., accounted for 10.6%; blue-green algae were rarely consumed.

Key words: Apocyclops, Copepoda, Nicaragua, Diet.

*Correspondence:Fax: 505-267-8169. E-mail:cirahb@cablenet.com.ni or cirabio@cablenet.com.ni