Development in annual killifish differs from other teleosts in two major ways:
1. Dispersion-reaggregation
Cell movements during early development separate the formation of an embryonic axis from the process of epiboly. Epiboly in annual killifish is accompanied not by formation of an embryonic axis as in other teleost embryos, but by dispersion of the deep blastomeres around the yolk (Wourms 1964, 1972a,b). These blastomeres then subsequently divide and reaggregate over a span of 4–8 days to form the embryonic axis (Wourms 1972a,b).
2. Diapause
Embryonic diapause is a state of suspended metabolic, developmental, and cellular activity. There are three distinct stages of diapause, which may occur during development, termed diapause I, diapause II, and diapause III (Peters, 1963; Wourms 1964, 1967, 1972a, b, c).
Which species of annual killifish does our lab study?
Most of our work focuses on the species Austrofundulus limnaeus. These fish are found in the Maracaibo basin of Venezuela (Lilyestrom & Taphorn, 1982).
The image to the right is a typical rainy season pond from the coastal desert regions of the Maracaibo basin. At the initiation of the rainy season, embryos hatch, and the larvae quickly reach sexual maturity. Adults spawn daily while water is available, burying their eggs in the pond sediment.
The image to the left depicts a typical dry season pond inhabited by A. limnaeus. The ponds dry completely, resulting in the death of adults and larvae. The high clay content of the soils causes deep cracks to form as the sediments dry.
Entry specifically into embryonic diapause, especially diapause II, is responsible for their ability to endure for extended periods of time encased in the dry sediments (Peters, 1963; Wourms, 19721, b, c; Matias, 1982). As the ponds fill with water again during the next rainy season, embryos hatch and the cycle continues.
Adult male A. limnaeus
Adult female A. limnaeus
(Images courtesy of A. C. Terceira, © 2012)