Multiple hatching events in clam shrimp: Implications for mate guarding behaviour and community ecology

Large branchiopods rely on dormant eggs to subsist in an ephemeral environment. Only a portion of the accumulated egg bank breaks dormancy when pools are filled, which is a bet-hedging strategy. Hatchings have been assumed to be discrete; however, multiple emergences have been reported for tadpole shrimp and fairy shrimp. We monitored the hatching frequency of the clam shrimp Limnadia badia in 35 pools on four granite outcrops in Western Australia. Here we report the occurrence of multiple hatching events, discuss their role as a secondary form of bet-hedging, and speculate on the implications for mating behaviour and community dynamics.