The Embryotic Development of Leptasteria in Contrasting Habitats
By: Berenice Baca-Ceballos
Department: Biology
Faculty Advisor: Dr. C. Sarah Cohen
The genus, Leptasteria, uses the remarkable behavior of brooding to care for their offspring. In fact, these tiny sea-stars have limited dispersal as a result of producing a small number of large, yolky eggs which undergo direct development. For this reason culturing the embryos of this specific genus is extremely difficult. I focus on organizing a successful culturing method that would allow me to observe and understand all the developmental stages of this genus. Most importantly distinguish any differences in embryonic development rate, mortality rate, and abnormalities within the contrasting habitats.