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Abstracto

Megalopa production of commercially important long eyed swimming crab Podophthalamus vigil (Fabricius)

N. Ilavarasan, R. Gnanasekaran, A. Stella Irin Kumari and P. Soundarapandian

Seed production technology is very much essential to introduce a new crab to aquaculture. In the present study a mass larval culture experiment was tried with commercially important long eyed swimming crab Podophthalamus vigil. The complete larval development of P. vigil consisted of five zoeael and one megalopal stages. Total duration for zoea I to III required 3-4 days, while zoeae IV and V took 2-3 days and V zoeae required 3 days to metamorphose into megalopa stage. The complete larval development took a span of 12-15 days. The survival rate was drastically decreased from I zoea to megalopa and the final survival was estimated as 3%. The maintenance of good water quality and hygiene during the larval culture is essential to improve the survival of P.vigil.