Changes in Larval Oyster Swimming Behavior with Salinity and Larval Age.

AbstractEastern oysters () are sessile, relying on a larval phase to disperse in estuaries. Oyster larval swimming behavior can alter dispersal trajectories and patterns of population connectivity. Experiments were conducted to test how both (1) acclimation time to new environmental conditions and (2) larval swimming behavior change with salinity and larval age.

Morphological Variability Among Broods of First-Stage Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) Zoeae.

External morphology has been shown to influence predation and locomotion of decapod larvae and is, therefore, directly related to their ability to survive and disperse. The first goal of this study was to characterize first-stage blue crab zoeal morphology and its variability across larval broods to test whether inter-brood differences in morphology exist. The second was to identify possible correlations between maternal characteristics and zoeal morphology.