Developing and testing a lab protocol to study the feeding ecology of American lobster (Homarus americanus) larvae

Abstract

Little is known about the natural feeding ecology of American lobster larvae. Through a lab experiment using different sizes of natural zooplankton, this study aims to develop a lab protocol to raise lobster larvae on a natural diet. Shortly after hatch, larvae were placed in individual containers and fed zooplankton collected from surface tows, with survival, inter-moult duration, and carapace length measured. This protocol showed promise, since it resulted in the complete development of some larvae, and it showed differences in survival rate and inter-moult period among larvae in the different zooplankton treatments. Development was sub-optimal when compared to a well-known lab study that raised lobster larvae from the same general region on an artificial diet, with lower survival and higher inter-moult duration for some or all stages. With improvements this protocol is expected allow raising lobster larvae on natural zooplankton to gain insight into their feeding ecology.