Seasonal variability of the embryonic development time of three planktonic crustaceans: dependence on temperature,adult size,and egg weight

The seasonal variability of the temperature dependence of embryonic development in Daphnia galeata, D. hyalina and Eudiaptomus gracilis of Lake Constance was investigated. We found a significant correlation between the adult size and the variability of the temperature function in all three species, and only in case of D. hyalina a significant influence of egg weight on the temperature function. We could demonstrate no general trend in the influence of the thermal adaptation of parent animals on the temperature function, but some specifically different responses among the investigated species.