Natural diet of larval Penaeus merguiensis (Decapoda: Penaeidae) and its effect on survival

Larval abundance, phytoplankton community structure and chlorophyll a concentration was studied among the larval species of Penaeus merguiensis in Albatross Bay, Gulf of Carpentaria. It was shown that the main diet of the larvae consist of diatoms, green algae and seagrass detritus. Furthermore, it was shown that the diatom flora of the bay can sustain the prawn larvae even during seasonally low levels and therefore is not responsible for the mortality of the species during those periods.