Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2025
Incremental Temperature Changes for Maximal Breeding and Spawning in Astyanax mexicanus
Published on: February 14, 2021
Effects of daily thermal fluctuations on the Atlantic silverside, a fish with temperature-dependent sex determination
Grace M Hancock1, Gorka Sancho2, Stephan B Munch3
1Department of Biology, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI, 49006, USA.
Abstract:
Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) occurs when the temperature during development affects gonad determination. Historically, most work on TSD in fishes was conducted under constant temperatures, yet daily fluctuating temperatures can significantly alter fish physiology and life history. Thus, we subjected the Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia (a TSD species), to 28, 28 ± 2 and 28 ± 4°C (a high, masculinizing temperature) and quantified sex ratios and length. We found that the percentage of females increased by 60%-70% when the fish were exposed to daily fluctuating temperatures (from 10% to 16% and 17% under fluctuations).
Related Concept Videos
02:27Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
01:11Testing a Claim about Mean: Known Population SD
Estimating a population mean requires the samples to be distributed normally. The data should be collected from the randomly selected samples having no sampling bias. The sample size needed to be higher than 30, and most importantly, the population standard deviation should be already known.
In most realistic situations, the population standard deviation is often unknown, but in rare circumstances, when it...
01:28Factors Affecting Body Temperature
Factors may include: