Complete development of the green rock lobster, Jasus verreauxi from egg to juvenile

Jasus verreauxi from northeast New Zealand were airfreighted to Sanriku, northern Japan, in 1985 and held at water temperatures between 10° C (winter) and 20° C (summer). Beginning in 1987, spawning took place in April and May and hatching in July and August. The phyllosomas were cultured in circular containers which had an upwelling system and which were connected to a microalgae (Nannochloropsis oculata) culture tank. Small pieces of mussel (Mytilus edulis) gonad were the main food provided. About 190 (Group A) and 1,500 (Group B) newly-hatched first instar phyllosomas were cultured in 30 and 100-liter containers, respectively. By changing the culture water about every 22 - 24 d, Chemical Oxygen Demand did not exceed 1.2 mg l⁻¹ and the total bacterial count was kept around 1,000 - 100,000 (mean 14,000) Colony Forming Units ml⁻¹. Under these conditions, 24 and 144 final instar phyllosomas metamorphosed to pueruli after 17 (less often 16) molts with survival rates of 12.6 and 9.6% after 189 - 273 d (mean 234) and 224 - 359 d (mean 263) for Groups A and B, respectively. Twenty eight pueruli molted into the first instar juvenile after an average of 25.5 d. These results are the most promising yet for palinurid phyllosoma culture, but mortality was high (73%) during the puerulus stage. As nutrition of the puerulus probably depends on nutrients stored by the phyllosoma, improved nutrition of phyllosomas may lead to increased puerulus survival. An exopod on the fifth pereiopod, which is characteristic of J. verreauxi larvae, first appeared as a bud in the fourth instar. J. verreauxi appears to be unique among Jasus spp. in developing a setose exopod on the third maxilliped.