hatching, attained a mean dry weight of 0.5 mg at 25, 19, 18 and 12 days after 
hatching in temperature treatments of 18, 21,24 and 27°C, respectively. 
There was a tendency for later fed groups at each temperature to grow at a 
greater rate than those receiving their first food earlier in the experiment. Table 
16-1 shows the instantaneous growth coefficients calculated for delayed 
feeding groups at each temperature, using the same data that were presented 
graphically in Figure 16-2. In each case, the growth rates of the earliest fed 
groups were lower than those of groups which had been starved before 
receiving their first food. This growth compensation seldom permitted later fed 
groups to overtake those fed earlier, but did serve to partially offset the growth 
setback that resulted from later initial feeding. 
An additional effect of delayed initial feeding was a retardation of structural 
development which was observed at all temperatures. Figure 16-3 shows an 
example of the degree of developmeantal retardation which may occur among 
larvae of the same chronological age as a result of a delay in the timing of 
initial feeding. Among developing larvae, each developmental event appeared to 
coincide with the attainment of a particular larval length or dry weight. As a 
result, factors like temperature and nutritional state have a marked effect on 
the degree of structural development larvae of a particular age may achieve. 
DISCUSSION 
Among the fish species that have been investigated in the past, there appear 
to be several alternative patterns of survival following the delayed initial 
feeding of larvae which have consumed most or all of their yolk reserves. The 
northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax (Girard) (19) and the herring, Clupea 
harengus (4), both may survive food deprivation to a point beyond which 
continued survival is possible but ultimate recovery is not. The grunion, 
Leuresthes tenuis (Ayres) (24), on the other hand, can recover from food 
deprivation nearly up to the point of death through starvation. Observations 
reported here using striped bass and those of May (24) using grunion, are very 
similar. For neither species are the concepts of a “point-of-no-return” or ot a 
“critical period” at yolk absorption appropriate. In the striped bass, as in the 
grunion, protracted food deprivation results in a suspension of further 
structural development, and a gradual reduction in dry weight during starvation 
as the costs of continued maintenance are met at the expense of body tissues. 
The experiments of May (24) was performed at one temperature. In this 
study a range of temperatures was used. Temperature has been repeatedly 
shown to have a controlling influence on the rate of growth of fish larvae 
maintained on unlimited rations (e.g., 14, 16, 20). Similarly, temperature 
affects the rate of weight loss during starvation (18). Data presented in Figure 
243 
