COPEPOD PHOTOTAXIS AND VERTICAL MIGRATION INFLUENCED BY XANTHENE DYES

¹ Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil

1. Phototaxis of the copepods Paracalanus crassirostris, Calanopia americana, and Acartia lillijeborgi has been measured by determining the percentage of a population moving toward or away from a point source of light per unit time. Quantitative differences in positive phototaxis were found between the species. Photopositive responses differed during the day and night in Acartia but not in Paracalanus and Calanopia.

2. Rhodamine B (8.4 x 10^-6 M) brought about the following effects: (a) Locomotor activity was reversibly inhibited in all species. (b) Photopositive responses were increased in Calanopia and Acartia but decreased in Paracalanus. (c) The difference between day and night responses to a point source of light was abolished in Acartia and induced in Calanopia. (d) Somersaulting was induced in Paracalanus but not in the other species.

3. Pyronine B (8.4 x 10^-6 M) also decreased locomotor activity. Fluorescein sodium (1.1 x 10^-5 M and 1.1 x 10^-4 M) was without significant effect.

4. Paracalanus, Calanopia, and Acartia exhibited characteristically distinct diurnal migratory cycles in vertical cylinders, which correlated well with behavior in natural waters. Calanopia and Acartia migrated to the bottom in the daylight whereas Paracalanus and young forms of Acartia were widely distributed vertically during daylight. Specimens of Calanopia and Acartia kept in the dark did not migrate.

5. The effects of rhodamine B (8.4 x 10^-6 M) on vertical migration depended upon species, developmental stage, and time of day. In general, rhodamine increased the concentration of animals at the surface at night and at the bottom in daylight. Fluorescein sodium (1.1 x 10^-5 M and 1.1 x 10^-4 M) had little effect on vertical migration.

6. The effectiveness of rhodamine B and pyronine B is probably related to the presence of diethylamine groups lacking in fluorescein.