TEMPERATURE INFLUENCE ON DEVELOPMENT AND CALCIFICATION OF HERPETOCYPRIS-BREVICAUDATA KAUFMANN, 1900 (CRUSTACEA, OSTRACODA) UNDER EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS

Cultures of the freshwater ostracod Herpetocypris brevicaudata were ke pt under laboratory conditions in order to study effects of water temp erature on development time and calcification process. Four culture te mperatures were used: 22.4, 14.6, 19.8 and 23.3 degrees C. H. brevicau data cultured at 19.8 and 23.3 degrees C showed higher survival rate a nd faster development than those cultured at 12.4 and 14.6 degrees C. Water temperature also has a clear influence on the degree of calcific ation of the ostracod shells. For H. brevicaudata, the 15-19 degrees C temperature range constitutes a threshold below which Ca content of v alves significantly decreases. Time required to calcify is also longer below this threshold. The increase of the calcification time due to l ower water temperatures seems to induce low survival rates.