First biogeographical survey of Artemia in Tanzania

Abstract

In an Artemia survey conducted along the coast of Tanzania between March and July 2017, 32 salt pans in Tanga, Dar es salaam, Pwani, Lindi, and Mtwara were assessed. Of all visited salt pans, 16 (50%) had either Artemia biomass or cysts or both. Body length ranged from 4.0 mm to 9.5 mm, while the mean and modal lengths were 6.2 mm and 6.0 mm, respectively. Temperature ranged from 27.2°C to 48.7°C, salinity from 20 g L−1 to >140 g L−1, pH from 5.8 to 7.8, dissolved oxygen (DO) from 3.1 mg L−1 to 4.9 mg L−1, water depth from 10 cm to 75 cm and conductivity from 42.0 ms cm−1 to 176.6 ms cm−1. A bisexual population of Artemia franciscana is suggested. Observed cyst states included concave, biconcave, spherical and cracking cysts. This is the first to report on the occurrence of Artemia in Tanzania.