Larval Dispersal TraitsTo influence their dispersal, larvae need to have sensory organs and swimming abilities that allow them to orient their movement. To determine when these traits develop, the Majoris Lab works with lab-raised larvae to study the development of sensory systems, swimming abilities, and orientation behavior throughout the entire larval phase of marine fishes. In our current research, we are working to determine whether larvae exhibit suites of correlated morphological, behavioral, and genetic traits (i.e., behavioral syndromes) that may help to explain why some fish larvae remain close to home (i.e., philopatry), while others disperse over long distances.
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