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[Killietalk] kmar egg incubation
I haven't tried Fred's method with kmar, though I do know that transfer of eggs
from full sea water to 5% seawater stained brown with peat extract sometimes
induces hatching. Since the hatching enzyme in Fundulus heteroclitus and the
medaka is induced by high carbon dioxide concentrations, I would not have
predicted that high oxygen levels induce hatching.
In thinking about kmar's adaptations, we all need to keep reminding ourselves
(myself included) that this is a (semi)terrestrial species, and that
individuals probably spend more time out of the water than in it. The only
kmar eggs that have ever been collected in nature were found on the surface of
a mangrove forest substrate---out of the water, suggesting that kmar probably
oviposits as it flips along the forest floor, doing it thing... Of course,
this does not mean that this is the only place where eggs are emitted, but it
does suggest that the eggs probably have some tolerance for variable and
probably rapidly changing salinities, temperatures, and light exposures. It is
not unreasonable to suppose that fully developed embryos, "stranded" on the
substrate, might hatch in response to rainfall, especially since rainwater
might wash them into more favorable habitats as well as make food items
available......
Bruce J. Turner
Dept. Biol. Sci.
VIRGINIA TECH
Blacksburg, VA 24061
(540)-231-7444 (V)
"...We are Hokies. We will prevail..."
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