THE RELATIONSHIP OF SEASONAL CHANGES IN THE BIOCHEMICAL COMPONENTS TO THE REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR OF THE INTERTIDAL SPONGE, HALICLONA PERMOLLIS

¹ Department of Zoology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, and Marine Science Center, School of Oceanography, Oregon State University

1. Biochemical requirements for growth and reproduction in the intertidal sponge, Haliclona permollis, were estimated by following the total amounts of protein, lipid, glycogen, RNA, and DNA. The ratio of total organic weight to spicule weight and the histological volume per unit spicule weight were also followed seasonally.

2. Protein and lipid accumulation in females began in February before oocytes were observed. Lipids were consumed during embryogenesis. Following the reproductive period, females continued to have greater accumulation of protein and lipids than males.

3. Daily protein requirements of a spring female were 0.22 µgm/mm³/day for somatic growth, 0.06 µgm/mm³/day for embryogenesis, and 0.13 µgm/mm³/day for spreading. The requirement for spreading increases to 0.44 µgm/mm³/day during the fall growth period.

4. The proportion of protein relegated to reproductive functions averages 8% of the total and can rise to 30% in females.

5. The life cycle strategy of this population appears to place most of the synthetic and accumulative efforts into fall somatic growth and spreading in order to allow increased survival over the winter and subsequent reproduction in the spring.

6. The sponge appears to be a particularly good source of protein for its principle predator, Diaulula sandiegenesis.