Hypoxia reduces thermotolerance in the postlarvae of the whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei Boone, 1931 (Decapoda: Dendrobranchiata: Penaeidae)

Abstract The thermal responses and tolerance of organisms can be influenced by synergistic interactions with other environmental stresses. Although the heat sensitivity of the whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei Boone, 1931 = Litopenaeus vannamei) has been extensively researched, little is known about how hypoxia impacts the thermal tolerance of the species. We assessed the thermotolerance of P. vannamei postlarvae under combined hyperthermia and hypoxia conditions. Simultaneous hypoxia significantly decreased the thermotolerance (LT50) of the postlarvae at temperatures close to the upper thermal limit of the species.