Meeting Abstract

P2.156  Saturday, Jan. 5  Switch and bait: use of artificial egg masses to investigate predation on embryos VON DASSOW, Y.J.*; RITTSCHOF, D.; Duke University; Duke University yasmin.vondassow@duke.edu

Many marine invertebrates package their embryos into benthically-deposited egg structures, some of which take the form of gelatinous masses with embryos embedded inside. If the gelatinous matrix is attractive to predators, its protective functions must balance two major costs: energetic costs associated with producing the jelly, and attraction of/lack of protection from predators. In previous work, we observed that for the gastropod Haminoea vesicula and the polychaete Axiothella mucosa, the jelly is implicated in attracting predators to egg masses. Here we employ artificial egg masses, made from alginate cured in calcium chloride solution, to explore the physical and chemical nature of predator attraction. The cold polymerization of the alginate allows us to embed live embryos in the artificial masses, and masses can be made in many different shapes and sizes. We investigate the following questions: 1.) How can we produce artificial egg masses that sustain live embryos? 2.) Are embryos inside artificial masses just as attractive to predators as those in real masses? 3.) What can artificial masses tell us about the costs and benefits of benthic development that relies on gelatinous egg masses?