The krill maturity cycle: a conceptual description of the seasonal cycle in Antarctic krill

A long term study on the maturity cycle of Antarctic krill was conducted in a research aquarium. Antarctic krill were either kept individually or in a batch for 8 months under different temperature and food conditions, and the succession of female maturity stages and intermoult periods were observed. In all cases regression and re-maturation of external sexual characteristics were observed, but there were differences in length of the cycle and intermoult periods between the experimental conditions. Based on these results, and information available from previous studies, we suggest a conceptual model describing seasonal cycle of krill physiology which provides a framework for future studies and highlight the importance of its link to the timings of the environmental conditions.