Observation on the Embryonic Development of the Resting Eggs of Brine Shrimp Artemia using Artificial Decapsulation

Brine shrimp Artemia is an important model in biological and ecological studies. Unfortunately, the early development of the resting eggs ofArtemiacould not be easily observedbecause these resting eggs are covered with nontransparent shell. This study aims to investigate and describe the post-diapause development of Artemia through artificial decapsulation. Results showed that the outermost nontransparent shell of the resting eggs could be dissolved in hypochlorite solution. Thus, its embryonic development could be observed under a microscope. The embryonic resting eggs released from the maternal egg-capsules were in their blastula stage. Gastrulation occurred immediately after total rehydration under suitable hatching conditions. Three pairs of limb bud primordium started to differentiate during the limb bud stage. Two inner membrane naupliar stages, namely, naupliar and metanaupliar, were observed prior to hatching. The artificial decapsulation enabled the microscopic investigation of the postdiapause development of Artemia.

Keywords: early development; Artemia; resting egg; decapsulation; hypochlorite solution.