Respiration in Chondracanthus Zei de la Roche (Copepoda)

Abstract

In spite of the keen interest evinced in the taxonomy of the parasitic copepods, there is little information on their metabolic rate, though the respiration of free-living forms has been studied by such workers as Marshall & Orr (1955, 1957), Clarke & Bonnett (1939), Zeuthen (1947), Raymont & Gauld (1951), Gauld & Raymont (1953) and Conover (1956). Since the rate of oxygen consumption is a reflexion of the metabolic rate of an animal, it was felt that a study of the rate of oxygen consumption of a copepod parasite would be of interest. Chondracanthus zei De la Roche, 1811, is easily available and large.