Ariani & Wittmann 1998a
Ariani & Wittmann 1998a
ARIANI, A. P. & K. J. WITTMANN, 1998: Feeding and breeding ecology in the hypogean mysid Spelaeomysis bottazzii. Proceedings and Abstracts of the 4th International Crustacean Congress, Amsterdam 1998 (abstract no. 392): p. 160.
Subadult individuals of Spelaeomysis bottazzii Caroli {Lepidomysidae) are frequently found in certain brackish, shallow ground water wells of Apulia. Southern Italy. They feed on diatoms and other autotrophic micro-organisms (Ariani, 1982) and accumulate fat reserves. In contrast, ovigerous females are very rare in wells, and so far not recorded from cave basins. Laboratory tests suggested that these females prefer relatively high temperatures {21-22°C) that are known for more saline, deep ground waters (Ariani et al., 1984). The hypothesis that incubation takes place in deep ground waters is consistent with the following observations. In the laboratory, females S. bottazzii showed strongly reduced oostegites at moulting subsequent to more than three months of incubation at 20°C. This may be indicative of a breeding strategy that prevents continuous breeding cycles. In fact, females need to reconstitute their trophic reserves near surface before deposition of a new egg clutch, mating and return to deep ground waters, a trophically poor environment where the animals will stay for a very long incubation period.
feeding; growth; maturation; hypogean
Spelaeomysis bottazzii