Oxygen Consumption As a Function of Size and Salinity in Metapenaeus Monoceros Fab. from Marine and Brackish-Water Environments

Abstract

1. The oxygen consumption in relation to the salinity of the medium has been studied in a marine and a brackish-water population of the prawn, Metapenaeus monoceros Fab. 2. It has been shown that the regression coefficient of oxygen consumption against weight is not the same for media of different salinity and for the two populations. 3. In both the groups of prawns an increase in the oxygen consumption was observed, with a decrease in the salinity of the medium below that of the habitat. But the marine prawns showed higher rates in 50 and 25% sea water compared to the brackish-water prawns. On the other hand, the brackish-water prawns exhibited a higher rate of oxygen consumption in 100% sea water and in tap water. 4. It is suggested that these differences might be due to (i) an osmotic adaptation, and (ii) the operation of a metabolic homoeostatic mechanism in relation to osmotic regulation.