Effect of Salinity on the Growth, Survival and Development of the Commercially Important Portunid Crab Larvae of Portunus sanguinolentus (Herbst)

Abstract: Tolerance of the larvae of P. sanguinolentus to salinity stress was studied in the laboratory at different water salinities ranging from 15 to 40‰. Complete larval development from hatching through metamorphosis to first crab instar occurred only in salinities from 25 to 40‰. Even though 1 % of the larvae at 25 ‰ were able to moult up to megalopa, they did not successfully moult to first crab instar stage. The tota