Feeding responses of the mysid Archaeomysis grebnitzkii to fresh and aged blended Nereocystis luetkeana

Abstract

The mysid Archaeomysis grebnitzkii is a small detrivorous crustacean that is prey to many low level consumers. In vitro, we fed A. grebnitzkii fresh and aged blended Nereocystis luetkeana as well as a blend of phytoplankton and measured preference and differential growth between these diets. We were unable to detect feeding preference or changes in length or weight, however the fresh kelp treatment had a much higher mortality rate than the other treatments, a result we were able to reproduce in a second trial.