Biol. Bull. Sign up for etocs!
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Woods, H. A.
Right arrow Articles by DeSilets, R. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Woods, H. A.
Right arrow Articles by DeSilets, R. L., Jr

The Biological Bulletin, Vol 193, Issue 3 341-349, Copyright © 1997 by Marine Biological Laboratory

PHYSIOLOGY

Egg-Mass Gel of Melanochlamys diomedea (Bergh) Protects Embryos From Low Salinity

H. A. Woods and R. L. DeSilets Jr
Department of Zoology, Box 351800, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195

Many opisthobranch gastropods embed their embryos in gelatinous egg masses; however, the functions of gel are not well known. We analyze the hypothesis that egg-mass gel protects embryos from salinity change. Using egg masses of Melanochlamys diomedea, we found that experimental removal of gel decreased the ability of embryos to survive osmotic stress. We evaluate several possible protective mechanisms by estimating osmotic influx of water into egg masses and by modeling salt efflux from an egg mass. On immersion in low-salinity water, egg masses lost roughly 23% of their mass, indicating that osmotic influx of water did not occur. Therefore, the principal route of salinity change within the egg mass is probably salt efflux. The model suggests that this efflux occurs quite slowly even when ambient salinity changes rapidly. Slow salinity change may be less stressful for embryos because the mechanisms that regulate cellular volume have more time to adjust. We show experimentally that slow salinity changes are less harmful to veligers than rapid ones by isolating capsules from egg-mass gel and exposing them to gradual or abrupt salinity change. The results support the hypothesis that rate of change of salinity is an important determinant of embryo survival and that egg-mass gel retards the rate of salinity change.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
H. A. Woods and A. L. Moran
Temperature-oxygen interactions in Antarctic nudibranch egg masses
J. Exp. Biol., March 1, 2008; 211(5): 798 - 804.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
A. L. Moran and H. A. Woods
Oxygen in egg masses: interactive effects of temperature, age, and egg-mass morphology on oxygen supply to embryos
J. Exp. Biol., February 15, 2007; 210(4): 722 - 731.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1997 by the Marine Biological Laboratory.