Info On Krill

Antarctic krill, is a species of krill found in the Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean. It is a shrimp-like crustacean that lives in large schools, called swarms, sometimes reaching densities of 10,000–30,000 individual animals per cubic metre. It feeds directly on minute phytoplankton, thereby using the primary production energy that the phytoplankton originally derived from the sun in order to sustain their pelagic (open ocean) life cycle. It grows to a length of 6 centimetres, weighs up to 2 grams and can live for up to six years. It is a key species in the Antarctic ecosystem and is, in terms of biomass, probably the most abundant animal species on the planet (approximately 500 million tonnes).

Scientific name

Euphausia superba

Breeding

Female Antarctic krill lay up to 10,000 eggs at a time, sometimes several times a season.During the mating season, which varies by species and climate, the male deposits a sperm sack at the female's genital opening The females can carry several thousand eggs in their ovary, which may then account for as much as one third of the animal's body mass. Krill can have multiple breeds in one season, with interbreed intervals lasting on the order of days.The main spawning season of Antarctic krill is from January to March,

Life Cycle

in oceanic areas in depths around 2,000–3,000 metres (6,600–9,800 ft). The egg hatches as a larva; once this has moulted into a metanauplius, the young animal starts migrating towards the surface in a migration known as developmental ascent.The next two larval stages, termed second nauplius and metanauplius, still do not eat but are nourished by the remaining yolk. After three weeks, the young krill has finished the ascent. They can appear in enormous numbers counting 2 per litre in 60 m (200 ft) water depth. Growing larger, additional larval stages follow. They are characterised by increasing development of the additional legs, the compound eyes and the bristles. At 15 mm , the juvenile krill resembles the habitus of the adults. Krill reach maturity after two to three years. Like all crustaceans, krill mustmoult in order to grow. Approximately every 13 to 20 days, 


Area of Krill