Developmental Rates of Menidia audens with Notes on Salt Tolerance

Fertilized eggs of Menidia audens were incubated at temperatures from 10.2 to 36.4 C, normal development occurred between 13.2 and 34.2 C, high survival was between 17.0 and 33.5 C, and optimal development seemed to be between 20 and 25 C. Cold lethality was associated with depletion of yolk supply prior to hatching. Eggs in 1/4 sea water did as well as those in fresh water; development through eye pigmentation was normal even in full strength sea water. Adults were more salt tolerant with critical salinities being near full sea water.