The nutritional compositions of 25 Artemia cysts of different geographic strains from China were analysed by means of principal component s analysis and cluster analysis. The total amount of lipids, amino acids, protein and vitamins were analysed. The experimental results showed: ( 1) Artemia cysts of 25 strains can be divided 2 groups: A. freshwater-type cysts and B. marine-type cysts by the methods of principal component analysis and cluster analysis of 43 nutrit ional factors. ( 2) C20: 5n- 3, C18: 3n- 3, proteins, C16: 1 were primary nutrit ional components among Artemia cysts of different geographic strains. ( 3) Reproductive type can not af fect the nutritional composit ion, but there were difference among Artemia cysts of different geographic strains. ( 4) The freshwater type Artemia cysts only suitable for feeding to freshwater-animals and marine-type Artemia cysts containing C20: 5n- 3 suitable for feeding to marine animals.