Effects of temperature and salinity on the development of embryos and larvae of the veined rapa whelk Rapana venosa(Valenciennes, 1846)

The major population of the veined rapa whelk Rapana venosa(Valenciennes, 1846), which is an important fishery resource, is facing a large decline in China. We studied the effects of incubation temperature(16–34℃ at salinity 30) and salinity(5–45 at 25℃) on the incubation period and subsequent larval development. In the temperature experiment, the shortest incubation period was 12 days at 34℃, the lower temperature limit was 16℃, the longest mean shell length(1 193±17 μm) occurred at 25℃ and the highest survival rate 72.28%±5.62% was observed at 28℃. In the salinity experiment, the shortest incubation period was 15 days at 25. The salinity tolerance range was 15–40, the longest mean shell length(855±9 μm) and the highest survival rate 72.93%±4.85% were both observed at 35. This study demonstrated that, during the egg–mass stage, temperature and salinity regimes infl uence later growth and survival of larvae. These observations deepen our understanding of the ecology and conservation of natural populations of Rapana venosa.

The major population of the veined rapa whelk Rapana venosa （Valenciennes, 1846）, which is an important fishery resource, is facing a large decline in China. We studied the effects of incubation temperature （16-34℃ at salinity 30） and salinity （5-45 at 25℃） on the incubation period and subsequent larval development. In the temperature experiment, the shortest incubation period was 12 days at 34℃, the lower temperature limit was 16~C, the longest mean shell length （1 193＋17 pan） occurred at 25℃ and the highest survival rate 72.28%＋5.62% was observed at 28℃. In the salinity experiment, the shortest incubation period was 15 days at 25. The salinity tolerance range was 15-40, the longest mean shell length （855-4-9 μm） and the highest survival rate 72.93%~4.85% were both observed at 35. This study demonstrated that, during the egg-mass stage, temperature and salinity regimes influence later growth and survival of larvae. These observations deepen our understanding of the ecology and conservation of natural populations of Rapana venosa.