On the biology ofCalanus finmarchicusIX. Feeding and digestion in the young stages

Abstract

Little is known about the food of the nauplii and early copepodite stages of copepods, although it has usually been assumed that the food particles must be smaller and perhaps more concentrated than for adults. A few observations have been made on the feeding of the young stages of Calanus in the laboratory, but none are available on feeding under natural conditions. It has been suggested (Marshall, Nicholls & Orr, 1934) that the success or failure of a brood of Calanus in the sea might depend on the presence of a rich food supply during its development. Experiments were therefore undertaken to find what organisms could be ingested by the nauplii and early copepodite stages, how much of the different foods could be digested, and how much water they could filter in a day.