Meeting Abstract

4.1  Wednesday, Jan. 4  Exposing larvae to reduced salinity does not impact post-metamorphic growth for the marine gastropod Crepidula onyx PECHENIK, Jan A*; JARRETT, Jerry; ARELLANO, Shawn; DIEDERICH, Casey; Tufts Univ.; Central Connecticut State Univ., New Britain; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Tufts Univ. jan.pechenik@tufts.edu

For animals with an ecologically distinct larval stage during development, sublethal stresses experienced before metamorphosis can decrease fitness after metamorphosis. Such “latent effects” are seen in the gastropod Crepidula onyx following nutritional stress in the larval stage. In the present study, early larvae were exposed to reduced salinities of 15 psu for 12-48 h, reared to metamorphic competence in full-strength seawater, induced to metamorphose, and then reared for 6 d as juveniles. Even when the stress reduced post-exposure survival and larval growth rates, and increased the duration of pre-competent development, metamorphosed juveniles survived as well and grew as quickly as control animals. Similar results were obtained using larvae of C. fornicata. The key issue: Why do some stresses produce latent effects while others do not?