Observations on continuous reproduction in large deep-sea epibenthos
Tyler, P.A.; Muirhead, A.; Colman, J. (1985). Observations on continuous reproduction in large deep-sea epibenthos, in: Gibbs, P.E. (Ed.) Proceedings of the 19th European Marine Biology Symposium, Plymouth, Devon, UK, 16-21 September 1984. pp. 231-243 In: Gibbs, P.E. (Ed.) (1985). Proceedings of the Nineteenth European Marine Biology Symposium, Plymouth, Devon, UK, 16-21 September 1984. European Marine Biology Symposia, 19. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. ISBN 0-521-30294-3. 541 pp., more In: European Marine Biology Symposia., more |
| Authors | | Top | - Tyler, P.A., more
- Muirhead, A.
- Colman, J.
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| Abstract | No seasonality can be detected in the reproductive cycles of Colus jeffreysianus (Gastropoda), Parapagurus pilosimanus (Decapoda) and two Epizoanthus species (Zoantharia); this is in contrast to some echinoderms taken from the same deep-water sites. Gametogenesis in the Colus jeffreysianus from 2200 m suggests a pattern of continuous reproduction without any seasonal variation. In Parapagurus pilosimanus from 1000 m the oocytes develop to a maximum diameter of 550 µm before being released onto the pleopods and fertilised; whilst one brood is developing prior to hatching, a second is being produced within the ovary. At this depth, some P. pilosimanus live commensally with Epizoanthus paguriphilus but, at greater depth (3700-4400 m), small P. pilosimanus inhabit gastropod shells with another species, Epizoanthus abyssorum. The obligate commensal lifestyle of these two zoanthids suggests that a pelagic stage is necessary to enable the larva to locate a gastropod shell inhabited by the pagurid but the strategy employed by either species, planktotrophy or lecithotrophy, is unclear from oogenetic data. |
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