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Re: Variable Fundulopanchax egg counts
One factor that may influence egg production is the moon. Many fish,
especially on reefs, and invertebrate animals like crabs and shrimp
produce eggs in a cycle tightly linked to phases of the moon. Usually they
breed best on a new moon, when nights are dark. Some North American
killiefish are known to do this, for instance _Fundulus heteroclitus_, the
mummichog which dominates east coast salt marshes, only breeds when the
new moon causes a spring, or very high, tide in the marsh. The eggs remain
attached to salt marsh grasses above the water line for 4 weeks, until the
next spring tide, when they hatch and the young fall into the water and
start life. These eggs are obviously resistant to drying out.
Just a thought; does anyone else know of lunar influences on African
killies?
--Bruce Stallsmith
fundulus at world_std.com