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Fish Eggs,  Embryos and Larvae

Transparent Fish Eggs, one a developing embryo, from the open sea. Note the oil drop

Marine fish have a planktonic larva. Either the eggs will be sticky and laid on the shore, e.g. sand eels, or for those living further out at sea 1000s of transparent eggs will be released into the water. The latter are the ones seen here. Only about 20-30 appeared in an autumnal sample and must have been brought in by the tide. One of the eggs has a developing embryo. Each egg has a strong outer chorion coat and is around 1 mm in diameter. Distinct in the photo is the presence of a drop of oil on the developing egg. Along with the yolk within the chorion the oil will also be consumed as food although it probably helps with buoyancy. 

Fish Larvae

These fish larvae appeared in the Dale samples in September 2023 and are the only ones to appear in the last few years

Tail of developing fish embryo with oil drop
Developing marine fish embryo
Marine Fish larvae in plankton sample
Marine Fish larva in plankton sample
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