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MEROPLANKTON:
ICHTHYOPLANKTON

Fish Eggs and Fish Larvae

- important part of meroplankton

Reasons why ichthyoplankyon surveys are done:

i. Surveys are often directed towards a single target species

(or a group of closely related species) in order to use their
distribution and abundance of pelagic eggs to obtain an
estimate of the biomass of the adult spawning population;

ii. Larvae of the target species are studied in order to

estimate the success of the year brood resulting from its
spawn and hopefully to understand the factors underlying
fluctuations of survival (recruitment);

iii. Surveys are used to evaluate fish resources in general.

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Planktonic eggs typically:

- some fish attach their eggs to substrates
•spherical (some ovoid to oblong)
•transparent
- most marine fish release free-floating planktonic eggs that
are fertilized externally and float individually near the sea •small (usually 1-2 mm in
surface diameter; range 0.5-5.5 mm)
(ex. Sardines, anchovy, tuna & many other commercially •contain varying amounts of clear
harvested species) yolk which is the food for
developing embryos and newly
hatched larvae
•contain one or more spherical oil
globules which aside from aiding
flotation, may also provide
nourishment (eggs without oil
globules are equally buoyant);
newly fertilized eggs usually float
with the oil globule uppermost.

Appearance in plankton: Egg Number & Size

• dependent on spawning cycles of adults • inverse correlation between egg size & number
• linked to environmental change
Large eggs but small number
Rate of egg development: • because of size & energy restrictions
• species-specific • large eggs with more yolk hatched young larger
• closely tied to ambient seawater temperature • larger young higher survival rates
(hatching delayed in colder waters)
too large to be eaten
• hatching generally occurs within a few days to a few
more active
weeks after the eggs are spawned
better able to evade predators

Egg Number & Survival Small eggs in large numbers

• fecundity high: 250,000; 500,000 or over 1 million •with little or no nutritive material for the developing embryo
(no. of eggs spawned per fish per spawning season) •hatch at small size vulnerable to predators begin
• survival is low – food for holoplankton & adult fish feeding immediately
•high mortality but compensated for by large numbers

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Yolk sac Identification of Fish Eggs

•first few days after hatching retain yolk in sac under body
•rely on yolk sac as food until mouth & gut develop Characters used for identification:
•yolk exhausted begin to feed totally dependent on •presence or absence of oil globules
suitable food in the plankton •homogeneous or segmented egg yolk
•size of perivitelline space
Plankton as Food •egg membrane with smooth or sculptured surface
•feed on plankton for several months •size of the egg
•until large enough (nekton) actively seek feeding areas •shape of the egg
independent of current drift •in late stages of development
presence or absence of pigmentation on yolk sac or
Fish larvae as Plankton – vulnerable to pelagic predators – oil globule
both large zooplankton & nekton degree of pigmentation in the eyes
pigmentation pattern of the embryo
Mortality very high presence or absence of yellow or red pigment when

Cod – mortality = 99.999%  examining living eggs

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In late stages of development

presence or absence of
pigmentation on yolk
sac or oil globule

degree of pigmentation
in the eyes

pigmentation pattern of
the embryo

presence or absence of
yellow or red pigment
when examining living
eggs

FERTILIZATION TO HATCHING The zygote period.

Released egg A: The zygote within its uplifted

chorion, a few minutes after
(protected by fairly tough chorion or egg case. Within the chorion
fertilization.
is the cytoplasm & yolk covered by a vitelline membrane. Often 1
or more oil globules are present)

Fertilization
(spermatozoa penetrates egg through microphyle resulting in fusion
of egg & sperm nuclei)
B. The dechorionated zygote with the
animal pole to the top, about 10 min
Development = Embryogenesis after fertilization. Yolk-free cytoplasm
(Vitelline membrane separates from chorion creating a perivitelline has begun to segregate to the animal
pole. Scale bar: 250 µm.
space & the microphyle is plugged – preventing spermatozoa from
entering; chorion hardens to protect the egg. Chorion remains
permeable to water & small molecules; most species telolecithal –
yolk concentrated at vegetative pole & cytoplasm at animal pole)

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Cleavage & Morphogenesis

(cells divide, form layers and then organs)

Blastulation
(Holoblastic cleavage = entire egg divides to form smaller cells or
micromeres at animal pole and macromeres at vegetative pole;
Meroblastic cleavage = cleavage at animal pole leads to blastoderm
or cap of cells; blastoderm overgrows the yolk (epiboly) eventually
enclosing it to form

Gastrula
(a hollow sphere of cells containing yolk with a small opening in the
perivitelline space = the blastopore)
Fig. 4. Embryos during the cleavage period. Face views, except for B, which
shows the embryo twisted about the animal-vegetal axis, roughly 45 degrees
from the face view. A: 2-cell stage (0.75 h). B: 4-cell stage (1 h). C. 8-cell stage
(1.25 h). D: 16-cell stage (1.5 h). E: 32-cell stage (1.75 h). F. 64-cell stage (2 h).
Scale bar: 250 µm.

Cleavage & Morphogenesis

(cells divide, form layers and then organs)

Blastulation
(Holoblastic cleavage = entire egg divides to form smaller cells or
micromeres at animal pole and macromeres at vegetative pole;
Meroblastic cleavage = cleavage at animal pole leads to blastoderm
or cap of cells; blastoderm overgrows the yolk (epiboly) eventually
enclosing it to form

Gastrula Fig. 8. Face views of embryos during the blastula period. A: 256-cell stage (2.5
(a hollow sphere of cells containing yolk with a small opening in the h). B: high stage (3.3 h). C. transition between the high and oblong stages (3.5 h).
perivitelline space = the blastopore) D. transition between the oblong and sphere stages (3.8 h). E: dome stage (4.3
h). F. 30%-epiboly stage (4.7 h). Scale bar: 250 µm.

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Fig. 11. Development during the gastrula period. Left

side views, except where noted, with anterior up and
dorsal to the left. A: 50%-epiboly stage (5.25 h). B.
Germ ring stage (5.7 h). C. Animal pole view of the
Cleavage & Morphogenesis germ ring stage; the arrow indicates the germ ring; the
(cells divide, form layers and then organs) embryonic shield will probably developed from the
flattened region of the ring at the lower right. D: Shield
stage (6 h). The embryonic shield, marking the dorsal
side is visible as a thickening of the germ ring to the
left. E: Animal pole view of the shield stage; the arrow
indicates the embryonic shield. F: 70%-epiboly stage
Blastulation (7.7 h). The dorsal side of the blastoderm, to the left, is
(Holoblastic cleavage = entire egg divides to form smaller cells or thicker than the ventral side, to the right. The anterior
axial hypoblast, or prechordal plate, (arrow) extends
micromeres at animal pole and macromeres at vegetative pole; nearly to the animal pole. G: 70%-epiboly stage, ventral
Meroblastic cleavage = cleavage at animal pole leads to blastoderm view, but tipped slightly forwards anteriorly to reveal the
now well delineated axial hypoblast (arrow) of the
or cap of cells; blastoderm overgrows the yolk (epiboly) eventually prechordal plate. H: 75%-epiboly stage (8 h). The arrow
indicates the thin evacuation zone on the ventral side. I:
enclosing it to form 80%-epiboly stage (8.4 h), dorsal view. The arrows
indicate the boundaries between axial mesoderm in the
midline, and the paraxial mesoderm flanking to either
side. J: 90%-epiboly stage (9 h). The tail bud (arrow)
becomes visible in some embryos at this stage. K:
Gastrula 90%-epiboly stage, ventral view. The anterior
prechordal plate (compare with G) enlarges as the
(a hollow sphere of cells containing yolk with a small opening in the polster. L: Bud stage (10 h). The arrow shows the
perivitelline space = the blastopore) polster, and the arrowhead shows the tail bud. A
distinctive region just ventral to the tail bud (i.e. just to
the left in this view) shows where the yolk disappears
as epiboly ends. Scale bar: 250

Neurula stage
(embyonic axis laid down in relation to dorsal lip of blastophere =
future head, spinal cord and body musculature soon visible;
the tail region moves away from the neurula & coils round inside the
perivitelline space)

Organ Formation / Organogenesis

(The optic cups (the future eyes) and the heart are the first organs to
be identified and in some cases the eyes become pigmented &
functional; the embryonic fish often wriggles & rotates within the
chorion)
Fig. 14. Fate map of the deep cell layer (DEL) at gastrula onset, at the
50%-epiboly stage before formation of the germ ring and hypoblast. The
blastoderm now has the shape of an inverted hemispherical cup
overlying the yolk cell

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Fig. 15. Development during the segmentation period. Fig. 15. Development during the segmentation period.

Softening of the Chorion

(chorion softened by enzymes secreted by glands on the head)

Hatching
(the embryo breaks away from the chorion)

Larva
plankton

Postlarva

Fry
nekton

(young fish is capable of active swimming

so that its strictly planktonic life is over)

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LARVA
• early larva – yolk sac prominent; about half of body length
• short incubation – eyes not pigmented, mouth not
functional & anus not open
• marginal primordial fin – no fin rays yet – whole length of
body, from crown of head in dorsal to caudal to ventral
side
• eyes become fully pigmented, mouth & anus open (position
of anus useful character for identification)
3/1/2010
• some species – pigmentation pattern + absence/presence
of oil globules & their position = identification
• living specimens – coloured pigmentation other than black
melanophores – on body only; on primordial fin; yolk sac
& oil globule
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• during development gradually use up yolk sac & oil

globule
• yolk sac completely gone all organs necessary for
searching & devouring food are fully functional;
• availability of right food organisms is critical

complete utilization of yolk = end of larval period

POSTLARVA

POSTLARVA • earlies postlarval stages = characteristic pigmentation

pattern for species has appeared
• pigmentation pattern persists until adult meristic
characteristics are developed – pigmentation becomes
diffuse & silvering occurs

Anatomic & morphometric

features of postlarva

• most of essential organs are functional

• able to catch food
• gradually assumes adult characteristics
Melanophore pigmentation of postlarva

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Amali 8
FRY Meroplankton: Fish Eggs & Larvae
active swimming
March 11-12 (Thursday to Friday)
= nekton
• Report to Makmal BioD at 9:30 P.M. on Thursday.
• Work in groups of 3 students.
• remain pelagic & • Each group needs a digital camera, a log book, and a
form shoals compound microscope.
• become benthic • Calibrate your microscope first for measurement of
(on seafloor) egg & larvae dimensions.
• You are not allowed to leave the lab until 8:00 A.M. of
• in inshore waters Friday, so bring your food & drinks when you come
• associate with on Thursday night.
jellyfish • Behave in the lab by not making too much noise.
• Bring references on fish embryogenesis.

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Examples of Fish Egg & Larvae Report

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