Life cicles of two species of Chlamydotheca (Sars, 1901) (Crustacea, Ostracoda) reared in laboratory.

DÍAZ, A. R.; LOPRETTO, E.C.

Simposio; 17th International Symposium on Ostracoda; 2013

Postembryonic instars of two species of the non-marine ostracod Chlamydotheca were reared in the laboratory from parthenogenetic females collected from Pampasic temporary ponds in Argentina. The larval stages were illustrated and the chaetotaxy of the appendages and valve morphologies described. Samples were obtained during October through December of 2007 and 2008 from temporary ponds in Pereyra Iraola Park (34° 50? S ? 58° 13? W) in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. The genus Chlamydotheca was selected to study ostracod ontogeny because the species are large enough to permit each juvenile instar to be easily seen, handled, and dissected. Cultures were established in the laboratory. Culture media were prepared with the filtered and previously boiled water from the ostracods? ponds of origin and supplemented by the periodic addition of tiny proportions of commercial canned water-packed tuna. The aquaria were equipped with aerators. In order to follow the life cycle, the larvae and juveniles were individually placed in 24-well culture plates (2 ml), previously disinfected with 10% NaClO and rinsed with distilled water. The larvae and juveniles were dissected, their limb morphology studied from drawings made through the use of a camera lucida, and their valves and carapaces photographed by SEM. The necessary technology was mastered for a comparative study of the subitaneous egg-case hatching by SEM in order to search for ornamentation patterns. Significant differences were observed in the morphology of the eggs, not only by the presence / absence of jelly-like substance, but also in the ornamentation of their covers. In Chlamydotheca arcuata Sars, 1901, the surface of eggs appeared covered with small, regularly spaced tubercles covered with a jelly-like substance. In Chlamydotheca iheringi Sars, 1901, eggs appear covered with small tubercles and the jelly-like substance kept them together in clusters.