Mass extinctions: Sensitivity of marine larval types

Developmental types of marine invertebrates may be divided into planktotrophs, which feed on suspended food items, and nonplanktotrophs, which do not feed but are supplied with nutrients (yolk) parentally; these may represent high mortality-fecundity and low mortality-fecundity strategies, respectively. Most versions of the bolide impact hypothesis of mass extinction propose occlusion of the sun by dust or smoke and severance of planktonic food chains for months or a few years, and this should select preferentially against planktotrophs. Yet among fossil prosobranch gastropods, planktotrophs survived the end-Cretaceous extinction equally as well as nonplanktotrophs. Indirect evidence suggests that end-Permian extinctions may have selected against planktotrophs but that the effect was prolonged over millions of years.