EFFECTS OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES FROM SKELETONEMA-COSTATUM CULTURES ON THE SURVIVAL OF ARTEMIA-FRANCISCANA NAUPLII

Axenic Artemia franciscana nauplii were challenged with five bacteria strains isolated from a Skeletonema costatum culture (two Vibrio spp; Flavobacterium sp; Plesiomonas sp; and Aeromonas sp) and with the known pathogens Vibrio parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus. After 4 days, mortalities were close or equal to 100% with the two pathogenic Vibrio and were similar to or lower than those of the control treatments (unchallenged nauplii) with the other bacteria strains. This confirms that V. parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus are pathogenic to Artemia and that the five other strains are not. Given the higher survival with some of these, Artemia nauplii probably used them as food. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.