Laboratory production of early hatching Artemia sp. cysts by selection

The goal of this study was to test whether it is possible to produce early hatching cysts of Artemia franciscana from San Francisco Bay (SFB) by truncation selection. The starting material was an SFB cyst sample, harvested in nature. After selection of early hatching nauplii had taken place, these selected individuals were cultured to maturity, and the hatching rate of their offspring (F1) was compared with that of the parental generation and with the non-selected control F1. The possible differences in hatching rate were used to estimate heritability.Two different selection experiments were run, accompanied with a number of additional tests studying the influence of the hatching set-up, the hatching temperature and diapause termination using hydrogen peroxide, on the hatching rate. Also the influence of different culture salinities on hatching rate and on possible success of selection was studied.The results revealed an influence of all those abiotic factors on the hatching rate, but also a marked interference of the hatching percentage with the hatching rate. Choosing the individuals based on their own phenotypic values (hatching within a certain time span of hatching incubation) and using those to produce the next generation, revealed a positive response. The selection in different salinities showed a different response. Depending on the strength of the selection pressure, the samples were advanced in time, starting with the highest selection pressure, and ending with the control and the parental sample. In spite of the strong interference of environmental factors, our results suggest that selection of early hatching cysts is possible.