It is accepted that temperature affects offspring size in ectotherms. However, the processes that result in temperature-induced changes are not well understood. We sought to determine when temperature changes during development induce changes in hatching size and how long hatchlings reflect the previous thermal experiences of their mother. Juveniles of the common tropical slipper snail Crepidula cf. marginalis were collected at Playa Venado, Panama; were raised in the laboratory at either 24 °C or 28 °C, temperatures experienced in nature; and were reciprocally moved between the two temperatures. In the first experiment, the animals were moved immediately after oviposition to determine whether temperatures experienced during oogenesis or embryogenesis contribute to differences in hatching size. The second experiment transplanted animals between the same two temperatures after the first brood hatched. The subsequent three broods were measured to determine how long the legacy of the first temperature persists. We found that (i) the temperature the mother experienced during oogenesis significantly affects hatching size, whereas the temperature experienced during embryogenesis does not; and (ii) hatching size is impacted for at least two broods after a change in temperature (≥17 days). These results show that hatching size is a legacy of temperatures experienced prior to oviposition and that this legacy does not persist for more than two brooding cycles. It remains unclear whether this rapid response to environmental temperature is adaptive or the result of a physiological constraint on oogenesis. Understanding the process whereby temperature influences offspring size will provide insight into the potential for organisms to respond to temperature changes and, ultimately, climate change.

中文翻译：

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温度引起的热带蜗牛孵化场大小变化在卵子发生过程中持续存在数周

人们普遍认为温度会影响等温线的后代大小。然而，导致温度引起的变化的过程还不太清楚。我们试图确定发育过程中的温度变化何时会导致孵化尺寸的变化，以及孵化多长时间能反映出其母亲先前的散热经历。常见的热带拖鞋蜗牛青少年Crepidula cf. 边缘在巴拿马普拉亚维纳多（Playa Venado）收集；在实验室中在自然温度下在24°C或28°C下升高; 并且在两个温度之间往复移动。在第一个实验中，在产卵后立即移动动物，以确定卵子发生或胚胎发生过程中经历的温度是否有助于孵化大小的差异。第二次孵化后，第二项实验在相同的两个温度之间进行动物移植。随后的三个育雏池进行了测量，以确定第一个温度的遗留物持续了多长时间。我们发现（i）母亲在卵子发生过程中经历的温度会显着影响孵化的大小，而胚胎发生过程中经历的温度则不会；（ii）温度变化（≥17天）后，至少要孵化两个雏鸟。这些结果表明，孵化率是产卵之前经历的温度的遗留物，并且这种遗留物不会持续超过两个育雏周期。尚不清楚这种对环境温度的快速反应是适应性的还是生理上对卵子发生的限制的结果。了解温度影响后代大小的过程，将使人们深入了解生物体对温度变化以及最终对气候变化做出响应的潜力。尚不清楚这种对环境温度的快速反应是适应性的还是生理上对卵子发生的限制的结果。了解温度影响后代大小的过程，将使人们深入了解生物体对温度变化以及最终对气候变化做出响应的潜力。尚不清楚这种对环境温度的快速反应是适应性的还是生理上对卵子发生的限制的结果。了解温度影响后代大小的过程，将使人们深入了解生物体对温度变化以及最终对气候变化做出响应的潜力。