Eggs and hatchlings of the freshwater crayfish , ž / marron Cherax tenuimanus , can be successfully incubated artificially

The objective of this study was to test whether marron eggs and hatchlings can be incubated artificially with high levels of survival. Marron eggs were collected from 30 gravid females. The eggs from each female were divided into two replicate groups, and each replicate group was incubated separately within an artificial incubator until the eggs had hatched and developed into independent juveniles. Eighty-nine percent of the eggs hatched and developed into independent juveniles, while the variation in survival between replicate female groups was not significant. These results demonstrate that the artificial incubator was a suitable replacement for the maternal care provided by the female marron after spawning, and that a uniform environment existed within the incubator. The success of the artificial incubation technique enables experiments to be carried out on eggs and hatchlings independent of the females, under a common and controlled environment, and with many separate treatment groups. q 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.