Culture of larval spiny lobsters: a review of work done in northern Japan

Abstract

The method developed over the past decade in northern Japan to culture phyllosoma larvae of five species of principally cool-temperate spiny lobsters combines the features of upwelling water, co- cultured microalgae, and use of mussel gonad as food. The feeding behaviour of the phyllosomas shows that they are primarily predators with the pereiopods and secondarily plankton feeders with the maxillipeds and maxillae. Recent work has shown that contamination of culture water by microorganisms such as the fouling protozoans Vorticellaspp. can greatly reduce phyllosoma survival. The significance of co-cultures of microalgae in maintaining water quality is not yet fully understood. Newly hatched lavae of sailfin sandfish (Arctoscopus japonicus) is an excellent food for late-stage phyllosomas of Jasus verreauxi. About 5% of J. verreauxi phyllosomas metamorphosed into pueruli. Mortality during the puerulus stage was reduced by increasing the capacity of the culture tanks from 30 L to 100 L. A single Palinurus elephas phyllosoma raised in co-culture with diatoms and fed mussel gonad and A. japonicus larvae metamorphosed into a puerulus in 65 days after seven moults.