A new culture system for in situ observation of the growth and development of Eucyclops serrulatus (Copepoda: Cyclopoida)

Abstract

A practical and convenient method of rearing Eucyclops serrulatusin a microculture environment isdescribed. A complete life cycle of E. serrulatuswas maintained in a narrow space on a microscope slide glass onwhich a cover glass of 22 x 40 mm in size was mounted at a height of 0.8 mm. The culture medium was constitutedby bottled mineral water boiled with grains of Glycine max (soybean). Chilomonas paramecium , a free-living proto-zoan organism, was provided as live food. Growth of nauplii hatched from eggs to the first stage of copepodite tookan average of 7.7 days, and the growth of copepodite 1 to the egg-bearing adult female took an average of 20.1 daysin the microculture cell with an average life time of 44.7 days. Continuous passage of copepods was successfullymaintained as long as sufficient medium and food were provided. The microculture method enables an in situ micro-scopic observation on the growth and developmental process of helminth larvae experimentally infected to copepodsas well as of copepod itself. Furthermore, it does not require anesthetization and, therefore, minimize the amount ofstress exposed to copepods during the handling process.