THE FEEDING BEHAVIOR AND RESPIRATION OF SOME MARINE PLANKTONIC CRUSTACEA 1 ROBERT J. CONOVER Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole. Mass. Interest in the respiratory rate and food requirements of the marine zooplankton probably dates from the studies of Putter (1907, 1909), but data are presently avail-able for only a dozen or so species of neritic copepods and for Euphausia pacifica (Lasker, 1960). Paraeuchaeta norvcgica, studied by Raymont and Gauld (1951), is the only marine copepod for which respiratory measurements are available, which commonly occurs at depths greater than 100 meters. In the present work a number of shipboard and laboratory experiments were performed with oceanic species of copepods, amphipods and euphausids, some from deep water, to learn if such organisms were amenable to artificially controlled condi-tions, and to obtain additional respiratory data for a very important but little-studied group of animals. A few species previously investigated from other localities (i.e., Calanus finmarchicus) were also included for comparative purposes. In addition to the respiratory measurements, representatives of most species investigated were also kept in laboratory culture vessels where observations were made on their behavior and food habits. Some individuals of the copepod, Calanus hyperboreus, have been maintained in the laboratory for approximately one year which would seem to be the life span for it. Because of its large size, long life span, and ability to adapt to laboratory conditions, this species is currently the subject of intensive experimental investigation. The author would like to express his appreciation to Dr. G. L. Clarke, Dr. Herbert Curl, Michael Mullin, \Yilliam Dawson, Henry Fuller, John Clarke, Thomas Renshaw and Masateru Anraku, all of whom gave field or laboratory assistance during different phases of the work reported here. Dr. Robert Guillard supplied the phytoplankton cultures and Dr. Rudolf Scheltema supplied Artemia eggs and certain planktonic larvae used in feeding experiments. Dr. Robert Hessler supplied the Artemia used in the respiratory experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS The zooplankton organisms used in the present program included the copepods : Calanus finmarchicus , C. hyperboreus, Paraeuchaeta norvegica, Pleuroinamma ro-busta, Bathycalanus sp.,-Rhincalanus nasntns, Euchirella rostrata; the amphipods Phronima sp., Euthemisto comprcssa. and Hypcria galba, and an unidentified euphausid probably belonging to the genus Thysanoessa. All these animals are of 1 Contribution No. 1115 from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under Research Grants 3838, 8913 and 8339. 399
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