Influence of Light and Food on Larval American Lobsters, Homarus americanus

Abstract

Survival, size, and rate of development of larval American lobsters, Homarus americanus, to fourth stage are correlated postively with food quality. High survival requires that first-stage larvae encounter an abundance of food. Larval survival was higher in low light intensity than in a higher intensity that was well below that of full sunlight. Larvae reared on LD 12:12 photoperiods molted to the fourth stage predominantly during the dark phase, even when the timing of the light and dark phases was reversed. Larvae reared in continuous darkness developed faster and were almost twice the weight of larvae reared in a LD 12:12 photoperiod, but fewer survived to fourth stage.