A Developmental Approach to Functional Morphology of the Embiotocid Skull

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This project will analyze how cartilages, bones, and muscles develop in the various stages of developing fish larvae and juveniles. Changes in the proportions and relative sizes of the skeletal elements and muscles will result in drastic changes in the respiratory and feeding abilities. Whether a developing fish will survive these critical periods depends on the proper timing and differentiation of functional systems which will be studied in this project. It is known that there is an enormously high mortality of fish larvae during critical developmental stages. These studies will elucidate the patterns and mechanisms of development in fishes with free-living larvae and in live-bearing fishes in which the larvae are protected from environmental hazards. By comparing these two groups it will be possible to gain a precise knowledge of the factors governing the development of fishes. Such a study is expected not only to promote theoretical evolutionary knowledge, but also practical applications in reducing or managing mortality of fish larvae.