Abstract

Physical factors including salinity and temperature are known to influence both invertebrate larval development and metamorphosis. A series of experiments with the queen conch, Strombus gigas, have shown that heat stress alone can induce larval metamorphosis. Low levels of metamorphosis are induced by exposure to temperatures 6-7 °C above culture temperatures, with maximal induction occurring at increases of 10°C. Normal inhibitors ofmetamorphosis including the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein and the protein kinase C inhibitor pbloretin do not block the heat stress response. The role of heat shock proteins in this process will be discussed.

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