Evolutionary Compromise between a Few Large and Many Small Eggs: Comparative Evidence in Teleost Fish

Covariation in reproductive variables across 26 families of teleost fish is examined to investigate an evolutionary trade-off between the size and number of offspring. Clutch size is positively correlated with fish length, but there is no significant correlation between egg volume and fish length. There is a significant, negative correlation between clutch size and egg volume after removing the effects of body size, suggesting an evolutionary trade-off. This pattern is found within both freshwater and marine fish. The product of clutch size and egg volume is not correlated with either clutch size or egg volume after removing the effects of body size. -Author