Meeting Abstract
The yasha goby Stonogobiops yasha is a specie that has remained largely unstudied since its discovery in 1997, despite its high value in the marine ornamental trade. S. yasha was successfully bred in captivity for the first time in 2016 by the Marine Lab at Roger Williams University. Facilitated by this milestone, this study aimed to describe the morphology and timing of major embryonic stages, develop a staging series for the larval period, and assess age at metamorphosis. Embryology was documented using video and camera lucida sketching, and larval development was documented using microphotography to measure body length and characterize onset of key morphological changes. Time to metamorphosis was measured at onset, as well as at 50% and 100% of the population. Embryonic development lasted 6 days, with larval hatching occurring the morning of day 6. Flexion occurred between day 8-12, settlement morphology was evident at day 15-20, and metamorphosis took place at day 27- 50. Food availability appeared to affect the duration of the larval period, as well as the overall survival of individuals. These results are the first characterization of the early life history of this genus, and reveal broader implications for the role of culture environment on larval growth, metamorphosis, and survival.
