Plasticity in parental effects confers rapid larval thermal tolerance in the estuarine anemone <i>Nematostella vectensis</i>

ABSTRACT Parental effects can prepare offspring for different environments and facilitate survival across generations. We exposed parental populations of the estuarine anemone, Nematostella vectensis, from Massachusetts to elevated temperatures quantified larval mortality a temperature gradient. found that exposure resulted in consistent increase thermal tolerance, as measured by at which 50% larvae die (LT50), with mean LT50 0.3°C. Larvae subsequent spawns returned baseline thresholds when parents were normal temperatures, indicating plasticity these effects. Histological analyses gametogenesis females suggested dynamic shifts tolerance may be facilitated maternal non-overlapping gametic cohorts. also compared North Carolina (a genetically distinct population higher tolerance) parents, observed heat-exposed had comparable those unexposed parents. increased under same high-temperature regime, suggesting is an inherent trait N. vectensis. Overall, we find vectensis shows strong genetic basis modulated Further understanding mechanisms behind elucidate fate thermally sensitive ectotherms rapidly changing environment.