Table 1 Effects of food density on the morphological indices of Brachionus calyciflorus spines collected from three lakes.

Anterior medial spine length (μm)

0.75 × 10⁶

41.6 ± 0.7^a

42.4 ± 0.7^c*

46.9 ± 0.5^a

1.50 × 10⁶

40.4 ± 0.4^a

40.3 ± 0.6^a*

45.3 ± 0.5^c

3.00 × 10⁶

40.7 ± 0.4^a

43.4 ± 0.5^c*

45.1 ± 0.5^c

6.00 × 10⁶

36.8 ± 0.8^b

38.3 ± 0.4^b*

43.4 ± 0.4^b

Anterior lateral spine length (μm)

0.75 × 10⁶

34.4 ± 0.5^a

34.4 ± 0.5^c*

37.9 ± 0.4^a

1.50 × 10⁶

35.4 ± 0.5^a

33.0 ± 0.5^a*

36.0 ± 0.5^b

3.00 × 10⁶

34.0 ± 0.5^a

35.4 ± 0.4^c*

36.4 ± 0.4^b

6.00 × 10⁶

30.1 ± 0.6^b

31.1 ± 0.4^b*

34.5 ± 0.4^c

Distance between anterior medial spines (μm)

0.75 × 10⁶

42.9 ± 0.8^a

42.1 ± 0.6^a

43.6 ± 0.6^a

1.50 × 10⁶

43.4 ± 0.6^a

41.0 ± 0.6^a

42.4 ± 0.7^a

3.00 × 10⁶

42.1 ± 0.7^*

41.7 ± 0.6^a

40.2 ± 0.6^b

6.00 × 10⁶

40.3 ± 0.7^b*

39.2 ± 0.4^b*

43.1 ± 0.6^a

Distance between anterior lateral spines (μm)

0.75 × 10⁶

119.9 ± 1.1^c*

119.9 ± 1.1^a*

123.7 ± 0.8^a

1.50 × 10⁶

119.4 ± 0.7^c

115.6 ± 1.0^b*

120.0 ± 0.8^b

3.00 × 10⁶

114.9 ± 0.7^a

119.4 ± 0.8^a*

116.8 ± 0.9^c

6.00 × 10⁶

110.6 ± 1.7^b

110.5 ± 0.6^c

113.5 ± 0.8^d

Distance between anterior lateral and medial spines (μm)

0.75 × 10⁶

39.4 ± 0.4^a*

39.8 ± 0.4^a*

40.9 ± 0.3^a

1.50 × 10⁶

38.9 ± 0.3^a

38.4 ± 0.4^b*

39.8 ± 0.4^b

3.00 × 10⁶

37.3 ± 0.4^b*

39.7 ± 0.4^a*

39.2 ± 0.4^b

6.00 × 10⁶

35.9 ± 0.6c

36.4 ± 0.3^c

36.0 ± 0.3^c

Dorsal sinus depth (μm)

0.75 × 10⁶

46.9 ± 0.7^a*

49.8 ± 0.7^bc*

52.1 ± 0.5^a

1.50 × 10⁶

46.3 ± 0.5^a*

48.2 ± 0.7^b*

51.1 ± 0.6^a

3.00 × 10⁶

46.5 ± 0.5^a*

51.1 ± 0.6^c

51.2 ± 0.6^a

6.00 × 10⁶

43.4 ± 0.9^b*

46.0 ± 0.4^a*

49.3 ± 0.5^b

Head aperture (μm)

0.75 × 10⁶

115.4 ± 0.9^a*

114.3 ± 1.0^bc*

117.4 ± 0.6^a

1.50 × 10⁶

113.3 ± 0.5^a

112.3 ± 0.8^b

116.6 ± 0.7^a

3.00 × 10⁶

113.1 ± 0.5^a*

115.7 ± 0.7^c

115.7 ± 0.8^a

6.00 × 10⁶

107.5 ± 1.6^b*

108.2 ± 0.5^a*

112.0 ± 0.5^b

Posterior lateral spine length (μm)

0.75 × 10⁶

41.8 ± 1.3^bc*

35.9 ± 0.9^a

37.5 ± 1.0^a

1.50 × 10⁶

44.3 ± 1.3^b*

33.0 ± 1.2^bc

34.5 ± 1.0^b

3.00 × 10⁶

39.8 ± 1.3^c*

33.8 ± 0.8

34.5 ± 1.1^b

6.00 × 10⁶

34.7 ± 0.8^a

31.6 ± 0.7^c*

36.2 ± 0.9