1. For two species of planktonic rotifers, Brachionus calyciflorus and
Synchaeta pectinata, neonates from larger eggs were more resistant to
starvation than neonates from smaller eggs, so egg size was positivel
y correlated with offspring quality. 2. Theories of optimal offspring
size in zooplankton predict either a decrease in offspring size with i
ncreasing food level, or maximum offspring size at intermediate food l
evels. In experiments using acclimated, even-aged individuals, neither
rotifer species changed its egg size as predicted by theory. B. calyc
iflorus egg size increased with increasing food concentration, while S
. pectinata egg size did not change. 3. The lack of fit to theory may
have occurred because of constraints on minimum or maximum egg size, c
onstraints on total reproductive effort, or because offspring fitness
is influenced by traits in addition to neonate starvation time.