CHANGES IN SIZE, BIOMASS AND PRODUCTION OF EUCHLANIS-DILATATA-LUCKSIANA HAUER DURING ITS LIFE-SPAN

Changes in body length, carbon content and somatic and reproductive pa rtitioning of assimilated carbon during the lifespan of Euchlanis dila tata lucksiana Hauer are described. The greatest increase in animal si ze was observed within the first two days of its lifespan, the biomass (expressed in carbon units) of females increased sharply between 1 an d 22 h after hatching due to high somatic production, and between 53 a nd 65 h after hatching due to high reproduction rate. In her lifetime the Euchlanis female used only about 1 % of the assimilated carbon for somatic production and as much as 16 % of this carbon for reproductio n. The possible reasons for, and adaptive advantages of, this phenomen on are discussed.