Phylum XIV 



Arthropod a, Class Crustacea 

 Subclass Entomostraca, Order branchiopoda 



A METHOD FOR REARING ARTEMIA SALINA 



R. M. Bond, Santa Barbara School, Carphiteria, California 

 Artemta salina is an anostracan phyllopod crustacean about 12 mm. in 

 length. This genus with practically world-wide distribution may be di- 

 vided into several forms, some of which are parthenogenetic. The tax- 

 onomy of the genus is at present in a confused state. The form found in 

 North America is sexual, and occurs naturally in Epsom Lake, Washing- 

 ton; in certain natural salterns along the California coast from San 

 Francisco southward; in Mono Lake, California; in Little Soda Lake, 

 San Luis Obispo County, California; in Great Salt Lake; and probably 

 elsewhere. It has also appeared in numerous man-made salterns, espe- 

 cially where salt is extracted from seawater by solar evaporation. 



Resting eggs float in brine and do not hatch until after drying. They 

 are carried by the wind to the lee side of the saltern and are there 

 piled (mixed with debris) in windrows. They may be collected with a 

 shovel and buckets. Artemia eggs mixed with salt, etc., may be obtained 

 from dealers in tropical fish, from the Leslie Salt Company, Redwood 

 City, California, and from San Francisco Aquarium Society, at a price of 

 about $0.50 an ounce. The dried eggs remain viable for several years. 



For physiological experiments, or for other purposes, it is often desir- 

 able to separate the eggs as completely as possible from foreign matter. 

 This may be conveniently done as follows: Dry the eggs in air and sift 

 through a 10-mesh sieve; suspend in 10-20 volumes of 15% NaCl in a 

 large separatory funnel, and shake well. Heavy substances will settle and 

 salts will dissolve. The brine should be changed about twice a day till 

 it remains clear (about 6 changes, and the final washing should be 

 drained off as completely as possible. The eggs should then be washed 

 in the funnel with distilled water, caught on a 100-mesh sieve, allowed 

 to drain for an hour, spread out, dried in a current of air at 25-30 C. till 

 thoroughly dry (about 30 hours), and then put through a 50-mesh 

 sieve, through which they will just pass. In the distilled water some eggs 



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