Environmental factors affecting hatching of rotifer ( Brachionus plicatilis ) resting eggs

Hatching experiments were carried out on a population of Brachionus plicatilis (Dor strain) resting eggs produced in batch laboratory cultures under controlled conditions and then stored for at least one month at 4 °C in the dark. Light was found to be obligatory for termination of dormancy. Over the temperature range of 10–30 °C (at 9.0‰ salinity), hatching was optimal (40–70%) at 10–15 °C and decreased linearly with the rise in incubation temperature. Resting eggs incubated over a salinity range of 9–40‰ (at 15 °C) showed optimal hatching at 16‰. Incubation of resting eggs in distilled water permitted normal embryonic development, but neonates died at eclosion. Presence of algae, Chlorella stigmatophora (0.5 × 106 cell ml−1), was found to aid hatching.