Effect of temperature on embryonic development and offspring performance of the African river prawn, Macrobrachium vollenhovenii

Macrobrachium vollenhovenii (Herklots, 1857), the largest of the indigenous West African Palaemonidae prawns, has a high potential for aquaculture. This work was carried out to assess the effect of temperature on embryonic development and offspring quality of this species. In the phase one experiment, females at stage V of gonadal development incubated their eggs at three experimental temperatures and their embryonic development was evaluated. Seven embryonic developmental stages were observed: fertilisation, mitosis, morula, blastula, gastrula, nauplius and larvae. The incubation periods were 19, 14 and 13 days at 26 °C, 28 °C and 30 °C, respectively. A temperature of 30 °C resulted in higher broodstock mortality (33.33%). In phase two, larvae were reared at the respective temperatures for 30 days at a stocking density of 30 larvae per litre of water. Offspring quality was significantly different between treatments from day five onwards, with the fastest development at 30 °C followed by 28 °C. However, larval survival rate was significantly higher at 26 °C (31.7%) followed by 28 °C (27.6%). A temperature of 28 °C could therefore be recommended as the most favourable for embryonic development and larviculture of M. vollenhovenii. These findings will help bridge the knowledge gap with respect to captive breeding and hatchery technology for M. vollenhovenii.