FLUOROMETRIC-DETERMINATION OF SELECTIVITY BETWEEN LIVE AND INERT FOODBY PENAEUS-JAPONICUS LARVAE

Preferences between microencapsulated particles and phytoplankton cell food particles by P. japonicus larvae were studied. The gut pigment c ontent method was used when both types of particle, in the same propor tions, were offered suspended in the medium. A lack of feeding selecti vity between both types of particles was found for zoea stages, wherea s mysid feeding was based on a preferential ingestion of microencapsul ated particles. The feeding mechanism and the effects of particle morp hology are discussed.