Effect of temperature and salinity on the biochemical composition of Artemia franciscana KELLOGG 1906, from Araya (Venezuela) and San Jose (Mexico)

The effect of different temperature and salinity combinations on the bioche mical composition of Artemia franciscana from Venezuela and Mexico, is anal yzed. Temperatures were 22 +/- 0.5 degrees C, 26 +/- 0.5 degrees C and 30 /- 0.5 degrees C; salinities were 30 parts per thousand, 60 parts per thous and, and 120 parts per thousand. Chaetoceros sp. was used as food. Accordin g to Tukey's Multiple Range Analysis for the A. franciscana population from Araya and San Jose, there were differences in the biochemical parameters a nd survival percentages among treatments and between populations. A positiv e correlation is observed among proximate composition values and survival, total length and growth rates. The observed variations reflect a genetic co mponent resulting from the life history of the populations, and a non-genet ic component produced by the experimental conditions.