How do annual killifishes survive when their temporary ponds dry up?

Annual killifishes, which inhabit temporary pools and seasonal ponds, survive the drying of their habitats through a specialized reproductive strategy. As their environment begins to dry up, these fish mate and bury their fertilized eggs into the muddy substrate at the bottom of the pool.12

Once the eggs are deposited, the adult fish die, as their life cycle is typically adapted to the duration of the wet season. The eggs, however, remain in the mud in a state of suspended development, or dormancy, throughout the dry period. They remain protected in this state until the next rainy season refills the pond, at which point the eggs hatch and the life cycle begins anew. This remarkable adaptation ensures the survival of the species despite the ephemeral nature of their aquatic habitats.123