Research Product

The grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio, a useful organism in assessing toxicity of various materials, is (1) easily cultured in the laboratory, (2) sensitive to toxicants, and (3) can be exposed in flow-through systems throughout a life cycle. Culture and holding procedures for the grass shrimp are described below. Laboratory spawning of P. pugio was first described by Little. Deposition of eggs began five to eight weeks after initiation of a photo-period and temperature regime. Egg production is directly proportional to rostrum-telson length of females greater than 18 to 20 mm. Shrimp are sexed by examination of the second pleopod, but field data show a 50/50 ratio of sexes.