Life Cycle Assessment of Apocyclops royi (Lindberg, 1940) Cultured under Laboratory Condition

Abstract In this study, the cyclopoid copepod Apocyclops royi (Lindberg, 1940), collected from the Vellar estuary (11°29′ N, 79°46′ E), Parangipettai, southeast coast of India, was investigated to determine its life cycle, developmental stages, and reproductive characteristics under standard laboratory conditions. Specimens were obtained from the Vellar Estuary and were kept at 30°C with salinity between 25 to 29 ppt. The species identification was based on morphological characters and each appendages were observed and displayed. Embryonic development took an average of 1.2 ± 0.54 days, whereas post-embryonic development took 9.96 ± 0.72 days. The naupliar stage took 4.61 ± 0.43 days, followed by the copepodite stage at 5.35 ± 0.21 days. Morphological changes such as appendage formation, body segmentation, and sexual dimorphism were observed. The total length of adult females was 1265.7 ± 3.1 μm (prosome length 820 ± 4.5 μm), larger than males at 992.6 ± 5.2 μm (prosome length 645 ± 5.2 μm). Clutch size was 15 to 20 eggs per brood. The naupliar length ranged from 100 to 400 μm. The copepodite length ranged from 450 to 780 μm. The results are consistent with earlier research involving cyclopoid copepods, showcasing the species’ tolerance to environmental fluctuations. With its short life cycle, average fecundity, and nutritional value, A. royi shows potential to become a live feed organism for aquaculture.