Chorionic surface sculpturing on the eggs of 7 marine fish species was examined under a scanning electron microscope. The effect of sculpturing on descent rates of 3 of these eggs was experimentally compared with 10 non‐sculptured egg types of different sizes. It is suggested that although in some species sculpturing represents vestigial tendrils, in others sculpturing and increased egg size may relate to ascent rates between the spawning site and the sea surface.