Nephrops norvegicus

Question 1

What are the functions of the antennules and antenna?

Answer 1

Chemosensory - touch/taste

Question 2

What are the functions of the chelipeds?

Answer 2

Grasp food

Question 3

What are the functions of the maxillipeds?

Answer 3

• Chemosensory

- Grab food

Question 4

What are the functions of the second and first maxillae?

Answer 4

Second - gill bailer

First - move food to the mouth

Question 5

What is the function of the mandibles?

Answer 5

To crush food

Question 6

Where do nephrops norvegicus typically live?

Answer 6

Benthic

Live in shallow/branching burrows in the mud during the day, hunting at night

Question 7

Which light conditions are nephrops adapted to?

Answer 7

Low light levels

Question 8

How does nephrops generate a fast tail flip reflex?

Answer 8

Two giant lateral and medial neurons

Question 9

Which organisms can life on nephrops?

Answer 9

• seasonally infected by parasite dinoflagellate

- Symbion pandora lives on the mouth parts of nephrops attached by an adhesive disk. Mouth is surrounded by cilia.

Question 10

What does nephrops feed on?

Answer 10

• crustaceans, molluscs and occasionally echinoderms

- also a filter feeder

Question 11

How do nephrops mate?-

Answer 11

• After molting female is soft, releases attractive pheromone
• courtship dance with claws held closed
• Male inserts his first pair of pleopods/swimmerets
  into the female’s seminal receptacle and deposits
  the gelatinous spermatophores (sperm packets)

Question 12

How are nephrops eggs laid?

Answer 12

• Sperm is stored until female spawns and eggs are fertilised (up to 15 months after!)
• Eggs cemented to swimmerets
• Egg incubation of 6 - 10 months and larval stage of 3-6 weeks