The combined effects of salinity and temperature on the oxygen consumption of juvenile shrimps Litopenaeus stylirostris (Stimpson, 1874)

The respiratory rates of Litopenaeus stylirostris were measured at three different salinities (20, 30, and 40) and temperatures (20, 30, and 35 °C). Equations of routine oxygen consumption (VO2) and weight-specific oxygen consumption (QO2) were obtained for the nine combinations and regression models for the effects of temperatures and salinities were derived from the data. Temperature, salinity, and combinations of salinity and temperature had a significant effect on oxygen consumption rate (p>0.05). The lowest values were found at a salinity of 30, suggesting that the iso-osmotic point may be at about this value. The thermal coefficient (Q10) did not vary with salinity, but did vary with temperature. Q10 was 0.62 between 20 and 30 °C, 2.5 between 30 and 35 °C, and 1.88 over the full temperature range. The partial coefficients and the multiple regression equation were highly significant suggesting that culture of this species would be optimum at salinities between 25-38 and temperatures of 20-30 °C.