Effects of Salinity on Embryonic and Early Larval Development of a Tropical Sea Urchin, Salmacis sphaeroides

Effects of salinity on fertilization, embryonic stage, and early larval development and growth performances of short-spined white sea urchin, Salmacis sphaeroides were conducted under a controlled laboratory condition. The experiment was carried out with seven salinity treatments (۱۵, ۲۰, ۲۵, ۳۰, ۳۵, ۴۰ and ۴۵ PSU), each of which was triplicated. Significantly highest fertilization success was achieved at ۳۰ PSU, followed by those at ۲۵, ۳۵, ۲۰, ۴۰ and ۴۵ PSU, while the lowest value was obtained at ۱۵ PSU, decreased with increasing and decreasing salinities (p.۰۵) were noted among these three salinity levels on prism larval length and width. However, significance differences (p>.۰۵) were noted in morphometric characters of ۲-arm and ۴-arm pluteus larvae. The findings of the this study indicate that S. sphaeroides is stenohaline and do not survive and develop out of the range from ۲۵ to ۳۵ PSU.

Keywords:

Salmacis sphaeroides , Sea urchin , Salinity , Embryo , Larvae development