Effect of temperature on clearance rate, daily ration and digestion time of Mnemiopsis leidyi from the southern Caspian Sea

Abstract

The effect of temperature on the main feeding parameters of Mnemiopsis leidyi from the southern Caspian Sea was studied in 2002. The clearance rates and daily rations were estimated from laboratory experiments in a wide range of temperatures from 12 to 27 ºC for M. leidyi of 12–17 mm in length. Clearance rate values changed from 52.5 to 107.3 ml ind-1 h-1. The coefficient Q10 in temperature 12 - 20 ºC was higher than that in 20 - 27 ºC (3.81 and 1.91, respectively). The specific daily ration changed from 1.56±0.19 to 0.24±0.05 mg C mg C-1 day-1 when temperature decreased from 27 ºC to 12 ºC. The direct relationship occurred between daily ration and temperature (R2=0.99). The digestion time decreased with temperature rise and did not display any clear relation to quantity of digested food.

Keywords

• digestion time
• daily ration
• clearance rat
• Mnemiopsis leidyi
• Ctenophora