THERMOREGULATORY BEHAVIOR APPLIED TO THE CULTURE OF PROCAMBARUS-CLARKII (DECAPODA, CAMBARIDAE)

In thermoregulatory behavior of Procambarus clarkii studied on organis ms acclimated to 20, 23, 26 and 29 degrees C, body mass did not affect tolerance and resistance. Acclimation temperatures exerted no signifi cant influence on the preferred temperatures nor on the final preferen dum (23.4 degrees C). Nevertheless, acclimation positively affected th e low temperature avoidance threshold: the upper incipient lethal temp erature by 0.6 degrees C and the critical thermal maximum (CTM), by 3. 2 degrees C. When culturing P. clarkii in Baja California, temperature should be close to the final preferendum, and within the accepted ran ge of 16.9 - 28.5 degrees C.