DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL MEDIA FOR ARTEMIA SALINA

¹ Haskins Laboratories, 305 E. 43rd St., New York, New York 10017
² Department of Biology, St. Johns University, Jamaica, New York 11432

1. The 1959 undefined artificial medium for Artemia was simplified to a medium containing only defined ingredients: a liquid phase containing mineral salts, 6 amino acids, 5 nucleic acid components, 8 vitamins, 2 sugars, a pH buffer, and a fine particulate phase consisting of precipitated albumin, gelled rice starch, and cholesterol. The amino acids and sugars are dispensible.

2. Starch and albumin were not replaceable by their soluble components (sugar and amino acids) even in the presence of inert or absorbing particles. Phagotrophy appeared the most efficient way to satisfy the bulk nutritional requirements.

3. Growth rate and differentiation depended upon starch: protein ratio and total quantity of particles.

4. Artemia ingested liquids but apparently to a very limited extent since vitamins and nucleic acid components (nontoxic even at very high concentrations) were utilized as solutes only when in high concentrations. Amino acid mixtures on the other hand became toxic at concentrations too low to satisfy growth requirements.

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