Figure 1.

MeHg exposures and behavioral analysis timeline. Fertilized egg masses were collected from 15 sexually mature yellow perch spawning pairs. Three biological replicates consisted of the newly fertilized eggs from five egg masses. At ∼12 hpf (128 cell stage), the embryos were exposed to five nominal concentrations of MeHg (0, 30, 100, 300, and 1000 nM). At 14 dpf, THg analysis was performed and posthatch survival was assessed. At 17 dpf, the locomotor activity of larvae was assessed in continuous light and continuous darkness. At 21 dpf, the larvae were subjected to the VMR assay. Finally, at 25 dpf, the locomotor activity of the larvae was once again assessed (only in continuous light), followed by an assessment of foraging efficiency.