Abstract

This work presents the effect of temperature in the Queen Conch Strombus gigas larvae. This effect was studied by means of the direct observation of ingestion and digestion, using the epifluorescence microscopy. Eight temperatures were tested: 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 y 32ºC. Larvae were fed I. aff. galbana, at concentration of 10,000 cel·/ml, and larval density was 400 larvas?/L. To detect ingestion, larvae were fed for two hours, and observed under the epifluorescence microscopy each h. To observe digestion, larvae were sieved and placed in new containers with filtered seawater without food. Ingestion and digestion were observed each h, during 8 hours, and at 24 hours after feeding. All observations were done in live larvae. Larval feeding behavior on the different temperatures was analized by the absolute ingestion (AII) and digestion (ADI) indices. A qualitative estimation of the stomach filling (GR), according to temperature was also done. Independently of temperature, the AII values were high (? 90%). Respectively, the ADI, it tends to decrease according the decline in temperature. From 28 to 32ºC the AID values are between 83 and 86%; while, from 18 a 26ºC they are < to 80%. The lowest ADI was 47% at 18ºC.

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