AGE-SPECIFIC SURVIVAL ANALYSIS OF AN INFAUNAL MEIOBENTHIC HARPACTICOID COPEPOD, AMPHIASCUS-TENUIREMIS

Survival analysis was used to calculate age-specific life expectancy ( e(x)) for the benthic harpacticoid copepod Amphiascus tenuiremis Mielk e, 1974. Gravid females were collected and held in brooding chambers t o produce nauplii for the experiment. A cohort of 110 one-day-old naup lii was sampled on a weekly basis for survival and fecundity data unti l all of the original cohort members had died. Survival data was then used in an abridged life table to calculate life expectancy. Mortality in the cohort was extremely high during the first 2 wk of life with o nly 57% surviving to Week 3. Life expectancy for a newborn nauplius wa s 5.4 wk while a copepod surviving for 2 wk could be expected to live an additional 6.9 wk. Maximum longevity observed in the cohort was 21. 5 wk.