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 Similar articles in PubMed
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 Vickery, M. S.
Right arrow Articles by McClintock, J. B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Vickery, M. S.
Right arrow Articles by McClintock, J. B.

The Biological Bulletin, Vol 199, Issue 3 298-304, Copyright © 2000 by Marine Biological Laboratory

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Effects of food concentration and availability on the incidence of cloning in planktotrophic larvae of the sea star Pisaster ochraceus

MS Vickery and JB McClintock
Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294-1170, USA. vickerym@uab.edu

A decade ago, cloning was first observed in the planktotrophic larvae of sea stars obtained from plankton tows. However, no controlled experimental studies have investigated what factors may regulate this remarkable phenomenon. In the present study we offer the first documentation of cloning in the planktotrophic larvae of Pisaster ochraceus from the northern Pacific coast. This species was used as a model system to investigate three factors that may influence the incidence of asexual reproduction (cloning) in planktotrophic sea star larvae. In an initial experiment, larvae were reared under nine combinations of three temperatures and three food (phytoplankton) concentrations. Larvae reared at 12-15 degrees C and fed the highest food concentrations grew larger than the other larvae and produced significantly more clones. In a second experiment, qualitatively different algal diets were fed to larvae reared under the conditions found to be optimal in the initial experiment. Up to 24% of the larvae consuming a mixed phytoplankton diet of Isochrysis galbana, Chaetocerous calcitrans, and Dunaliella tertiolecta cloned, and significantly more clones were produced by these larvae than by those fed monospecific diets. Our experiments indicate that cloning generally occurs after larvae have attained asymptotic body length and only when food is abundant and of high quality. Since larval mortality is considered to be extremely high for marine invertebrates with planktotrophic larvae, production of clones under optimal conditions of temperature and food may serve to increase larval populations when the environment is most conducive to larval growth.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ScienceHome page
D. Vaughn and R. R. Strathmann
Predators Induce Cloning in Echinoderm Larvae
Science, March 14, 2008; 319(5869): 1503 - 1503.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Biol. Bull.Home page
C. D. G. Harley, M. S. Pankey, J. P. Wares, R. K. Grosberg, and M. J. Wonham
Color Polymorphism and Genetic Structure in the Sea Star Pisaster ochraceus
Biol. Bull., December 1, 2006; 211(3): 248 - 262.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Biol. Bull.Home page
K. E. Knott, E. J. Balser, W. B. Jaeckle, and G. A. Wray
Identification of Asteroid Genera With Species Capable of Larval Cloning
Biol. Bull., June 1, 2003; 204(3): 246 - 255.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2000 by the Marine Biological Laboratory.