Regulation of Crustacean Larval Release

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Among crabs, eggs are attached to the tail of the female and carried for a length of time that varies with the species. Egg hatching is precisely timed with respect to environmental cycles such as lunar, light-dark and tidal cycles. It is proposed here that egg hatching is controlled by the developing embryo rather than the female carrying the mass of embryos. Breakage of an initial few brings about the release of certain peptides and this provides a chemical clue inducing the female to bring about behavior which results in the synchronized release of crab larvae. The proposed research is designed to answer questions that will increase our understanding of the egg hatching process which is precisely timed to enhance the larval survival and transport in estuarine and coastal areas.