Larval metamorphosis of the barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite under mono and mixed algal diet

Barnacles are one of the dominant macrofouling organisms found in the intertidal region throughout the word. In this study, the effects of mono and mixed algal diet (Chaetoceros calcitrans, C. muelleri, Isochrysis galbana, Tetraselmis suecica and Chlorella vulgaris) on the larval metamorphosis of the barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite were evaluated. Larvae obtained from A. amphitrite were cultured in six-well plate on a daily algal food at cell concentration of 2 × 105 cell/L. One-Way ANOVA and Tukey’s test indicated significant differences among the metamorphose rates of the larvae reared at different algal diet (p<0/05). Larvae fed with mono (except T. suecica) and mixed algal diet developed into cyprids within five days while those fed with T. suecica developed into cyprids after 6 days. There was higher percentage of metamorphosis in larvae fed with the mixed diet of C. calcitrans and T. suecica. Our results showed that mixed algal diets especially when diatoms are present shorten naupliar duration and increase metamorphosis success to cypris stage.