Benefits of intertidal development and large egg size in a marine toadfish

The environments in which offspring are reared can profoundly affect their development, growth, and survival. Certain specialized fish species deposit and sometimes care for their young in one of the Earth’s most dynamic ecosystems: the marine intertidal zone. This tendency to deposit eggs in intertidal habitats rather than more stable coastal waters suggests intertidal conditions confer benefits to offspring that outweigh the risks parents …