Hatching events in the cysts of Artemia salina

Prior to hydration, the cysts of Artemia salina are cup-shaped with a diameter of approximately 0.18 mm. Upon immersion in sea water, the cysts slightly increase in diameter to 0.19 mm and assume a spherical shape. Hatching begins with the splitting of the surface coat. The split runs along a straight line, approximately one-half the circumference of the cyst. The exposed fracture in the surface coat reveals three distinct regions: (1) a thin...