Reproductive biology of the Antarctic “sea pen” Malacobelemnon daytoni (Octocorallia, Pennatulacea, Kophobelemnidae)

Polar research

Luciana Torre¹  Natalia Servetto³  Ricardo Sahade³ 

[1] Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Av. Vélez Sársfield 1611 (X5000HVA), Córdoba, Argentina;Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Av. Vélez Sársfield 1611 (X5000HVA), Córdoba, ArgentinaCorrespondence;Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sársfield 299 (X5000JJC), Córdoba, Argentina

关键词: Antarctica;    benthic communities;    Pennatulacea;    reproduction;    oogenesis;   

DOI  :  10.3402/polar.v32i0.20040

学科分类：自然科学（综合）

来源: Co-Action Publishing

【 摘 要 】

The reproductive biology of the sea pen Malacobelemnon daytoni was studied at Potter Cove, South Shetland Islands, where it is one of the dominant species in shallow waters. Specimens collected at 15–22 m depth were examined by histological analysis. M. daytoni is gonochoristic and exhibited a sex ratio of 1:1. Oocyte sizes (>300 µm) and the absence of embryos or newly developed larvae in the colonies suggest that this species can have lecithotrophic larvae and experience external fertilization. This life strategy is in line with other members of the group and supports the hypothesis that this could be a phylogenetically fixed trait for pennatulids. It was observed that oocytes were generated by gastrodermic tissue and released to the longitudinal canal. Thereafter, they migrate along the canal until they reach maturity and are released by autozooids at the top of the colonies. This striking feature has not yet been reported for other pennatulaceans. Mature oocytes were observed from colonies of 15 mm in ...

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC