Effect of maternal diet on survival and life history parameters of next generations in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis sp complex

The effect of maternal diet on the survival rate and life history parameters of next generations in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis sp. complex was investigated. Maternal rotifers as well as their offspring were individually cultured successively to the 5th generation in three feeding patterns, including the feeding of Nannochloropsis oculata alone (N), baker's yeast alone (Y), and feeding of baker's yeast to the 1st generation and X oculata to the next generations (YN). In the Y-rotifers, survival rate, development time and spawning interval of the 1st and 2nd generations were significantly inferior to those of the N-rotifers, and all individuals died in the 3rd generation. As for YN-rotifers in the 2nd generation, survival rate decreased by 20% compared with N-rotifers, and development time and spawning interval were 1.1-1.2 times longer. These results suggest that the effect of maternal diet influenced even next generations by affecting the quality of amictic eggs.