Why do fish larvae hatch when they do?

Abstract

Hatching corresponds to the moment an individual leaves its egg envelope. Yet, hatching has scarcely aroused the interest of biologists, and the question posed here, ‘why do larvae hatch when they do?’ appears to have been rarely asked. In this proof-of-concept study, we tested the hypothesis that fish larvae hatch when a specific ratio between egg surface area (ESA) and larval surface area (LSA) is reached, irrespective of egg diameter and abiotic factors. An estimated mean ratio of 1: 1.52 (CI = 1.39–1.63) was obtained from the eggs of 33 species of teleosts, with diameters ranging from 0.63 to 5.7 mm. We assume that this ratio has a value beyond which the oxygen supply through the egg surface cannot cope with the oxygen requirements of the embryo. The detailed ecological consequences are unknown but can be expected to impact fisheries and aquaculture negatively.