Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-p566r Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T05:09:15.232Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Seasonal reproductive activity in the pterobranch hemichordate Rhabdopleura compacta

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2008

Atsuko Sato*
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 4JDUK and Marine Biological Association of the UK, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PBUK
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Atsuko Sato Department of Zoology, University of OxfordSouth Parks Road, Oxford OX1 4JDUK email: atsuko.sato@zoo.ox.ac.uk

Abstract

Pterobranchs are small marine filter feeders in the phylum Hemichordata. Their phylogenetic position and anatomical structure has resulted in pterobranchs featuring in many scenarios concerning the evolution of chordates. Despite this interest, the basic reproductive biology of pterobranchs is still poorly known. To address this issue, the reproductive season of Rhabdopleura compacta was investigated by collecting specimens in 2004–2007 from a population growing on disarticulated bivalve shells off the south coast of Devon, UK. I analysed reproductive status by categorizing shells according to the condition of the colonies growing on them. The frequency of shells having mature females was almost constant from spring to autumn among shells with active colonies. However, it was apparent that: (a) shells having mature females were more likely to be incubating embryos or larvae in June and July than other months; and (b) the production of embryos was high in June, and then decreased by July. Thus, despite the previous speculation that the species is capable of successful sexual reproduction throughout the year, the present study shows seasonality in reproduction of R. compacta, with at least a peak season during summer.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Allman, G.J. (1869) On Rhabdopleura, a new form of Polyzoa, from deep sea dredging in Shetland. Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science 9, 5763.Google Scholar
Anderson, K. (1903) Ein Weiterentdeckung von Cephalodiscus. Zooologische Anzeiger 26, 368369.Google Scholar
Barnes, R.D. (1977) New record of a pterobranch hemichordate from the western hemisphere. Bulletin of Marine Science 27, 340343.Google Scholar
Bateson, W. (1885) The late stages in the development of Balanoglossus Kowalevskii; with a suggestion on the affinities of the Enteropneusta. Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science 25, 81122.Google Scholar
Bateson, W. (1886) The ancestry of the Chordata. Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science 26, 535571.Google Scholar
Boalch, G.T. (2003) Local phytoplankton. MBA Annual Report, 2003, r3.Google Scholar
Boalch, G.T. (2004) Local phytoplankton. MBA Annual Report, 2004, r5.Google Scholar
Boolootian, R.A. (1963) Response of the testes of purple sea urchins to variations in temperature and light. Nature 197, 403.Google Scholar
Boulat, S.J., Nielsen, C., Lockyer, A.E., Littlewood, D.T.J. and Telford, M.J. (2003) Xenoturbella is a deuterostome that eats molluscs. Nature 424, 925928.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burdon-Jones, C. (1957) The biology of Rhabdopleura normani Allman. Report of the Challenger Society 3, 9.Google Scholar
Cameron, C.B., Garey, J.R. and Swalla, B.J. (2000) Evolution of the chordate body plan: new insights from phylogenetic analyses of deuterostome phyla. Proceedings of the National Academy of the United States of America 97, 4469–74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coma, R., Ribes, M., Gili, J.M. and Zabala, M. (2000) Seasonality in coastal benthic ecosystems. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 15, 448453.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crisp, D.J. and Spencer, C.P. (1957) The control of the hatching process in barnacles. Proceedings of Royal Society of London, Series B 148, 278299.Google Scholar
Dilly, P.N. (1973) The larva of Rhabdopleura compacta (Hemichordata). Marine Biology 18, 6986.Google Scholar
Eggleston, D. (1972) Patterns of reproduction in the marine Ectoprocta of the Isle of Man. Journal of Natural History 6, 3138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Emig, C.C. (1979) British and other phoronids. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Fowler, H.G. (1892) The morphology of Rhabdopleura normani Allman. Leipzig: Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann.Google Scholar
Fowler, H.G. (1904) Notes on Rhabdopleura normani, Allman. Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science 48, 2331.Google Scholar
Gerhart, J., Lowe, C.J. and Kirschner, M. (2005) Hemichordates and the origin of chordates. Current Opinions in Genetics and Development 15, 461467.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Giese, A.C. and Pearse, J.S. (1974) Reproduction of marine invertebrates, Volume 1. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Gilchrist, J.D.F. (1915) Observation on the Cape Cephalodiscus (C. gilchristi, Ridewood) and some of its early stages. Annals and Magazine of Natural History Series 8 16, 233243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilchrist, J.D.F. (1917) On the development of the Cape Cephalodiscus (C. gilchristi, Ridewood). Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science 62, 189212.Google Scholar
Halanych, K.M. (1995) The phylogenetic position of the pterobranch hemichordates based on 18S rDNA sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 4, 72–6.Google Scholar
Harmer, S.F. (1887) Appendix to ‘Report on Cephalodiscus dodecalophys’ by W.C. McIntosh. Report on the scientific results of the Voyage of H. M. S. Challenger during the years 1873–76 20, 3947.Google Scholar
Harmer, S.F. (1905) The Pteronranchia of the Siboga Expedition. Siboga Expedition Monograph 26, 131.Google Scholar
Harmer, S.F. (1915) Observations on the Cape Cephalodiscus (C. gilchristi, Ridewood) and some of its early stages. Annals and Magazine of Natural History Series 8, xvi 233247.Google Scholar
Harmer, S.F. and Ridewood, W.G. (1913) The Pterobranchia of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (1902–1904). Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 49, 531565.Google Scholar
Lankester, E. (1884) Contribution to the knowledge of Rhabdopleura. Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science 24, 622647.Google Scholar
Lester, S.M. (1985) Cephalodiscus sp. (Hemichordata: Pterobranchia): observations of functional morphology, behavior and occurrence in shallow water around Bermuda. Marine Biology 85, 263268.Google Scholar
Lester, S.M. (1988a) Settlement and metamorphosis of Rhabdopleura normani (Hemichordata: Pterobranchia). Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 69, 111120.Google Scholar
Lester, S.M. (1988b) Ultrastructure of adult gonads and development and structure of the larva of Rhabdopleura normani. Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 69, 95109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowe, C.J., Wu, M., Salic, A., Evas, L., Lander, E., Stange-Thomann, N., Gruber, C.E., Gerhart, J. and Kirschner, M. (2003) Anterior–posterior patterning in hemichordates and the origin of the chordate nervous system. Cell 113, 853–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowe, C., Terasaki, M., Wu, M., Freeman, R.M., Runft, L., Kwan, K., Haigo, S., Aribiwicz, J., Lander, E., Gruber, C., Smith, M., Krischner, M. and Gerhart, J. (2006) Dorsoventral patterning in hemichordates: insights into early chordate evolution. PLoS Biology 4, e291.Google Scholar
Masterman, A.T. (1900) On the further anatomy and budding processes of Cephalodiscus dodecalophus (McIntosh). Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 39, 507527.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
M'Intosh, W.C. (1887) Report on Cephalodiscus dodecalophus. Report on the scientific results of the Voyage of H. M. S. Challenger during the years 1873–76 20, 137.Google Scholar
Millar, R.H. (1970) British ascidians. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Rychel, A.L., Smith, S.E., Echimamoto, H.T. and Swalla, B.J. (2006) Evolution and development of chordates: collagen and pharyngeal cartilage. Molecular Biology and Evolution 23, 541549.Google Scholar
Sars, O. (1874) On Rhabdopleura mirabilis (M. Sars). Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science 14, 2344.Google Scholar
Schepotieff, A. (1907) Die Pterobranchier. 1. Teil. 1. Abschnitt. Die Anatomie von Rhabdopleura. Zoologische Jahrbucher Abteilung für Anatomie und Ontogenie der Tiere 23, 463534.Google Scholar
Schepotieff, A. (1909) Die Pterobranchier der indischen Ozean. Zoologische Jahrbucher Abteilung für Anatomie und Ontogenie der Tiere 28, 429448.Google Scholar
Starr, M., Himmelman, J.H. and Therrianlt, J.-C. (1990) Direct coupling of marine invertebrate spawning with phytoplankton blooms. Science 247, 10711074.Google Scholar
Stebbing, A.R.D. (1968) Discovery of Rhabdopleura (Hemichordata) at Plymouth. Nature 217, 1284.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stebbing, A.R.D. (1970a) Aspects of the reproduction and life cycle of Rhabdopleura compacta (Hemichordata). Marine Biology 5, 205212.Google Scholar
Stebbing, A.R.D. (1970b) The status and ecology of Rhabdopleura compacta (Hemichordata) from Plymouth. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 50, 209221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stebbing, A.R.D. and Dilly, P.N. (1972) Some observations on living Rhabdopleura compacta (Hemichordata). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 52, 443448.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wickstead, J.H. (1976) Marine zooplankton. London: Edward Arnold.Google Scholar
Winchell, C.J., Sullivan, J., Cameron, C.B., Swalla, B.J. and Mallatt, J. (2002) Evaluating hypothesis of deuterostome phylogeny and chordate evolution with new LSU and SSU ribosomal DNA data. Molecular Biology and Evolution 19, 762776.CrossRefGoogle Scholar