Abstract

Marron, Cherax cainii, is freshwater crayfish indigenous to the southwest of Western Australia, occurring in rivers increasingly impacted by salinisation. The lethal salinity of three and six months old juvenile marron was assessed using standard exposure experiments. Juveniles were exposed for 96 hours to 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 mOsm kg-1 salinity, with aged tap water as a control. The resulting 96-hour LS50 for three months old marron was 598 mOsm kg-1, with upper and lower 95% limits of 702 and 501 mOsm kg-1, respectively. Six months old juveniles exposed to an identical salinity progression did not produce a LS50 as only 3 individuals died at 32 ppt, with no mortalities at lower salinities. The results suggest an increased resistance to osmotic stress with age and are interpreted in terms of ontogeny, developmental stage and ecological consequence.

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