Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Observations on population structure and reproductive features of Laetmonice producta Grube (Polychaeta, Aphroditidae) in Antarctic waters

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The large scale-worm Laetmonice producta Grube 1877 is the most abundant aphroditid polychaete in Antarctic coastal waters. We investigated the demographic structure and some reproductive features of different L. producta populations from high-Antarctic (Weddell Sea) and Antarctic Peninsula (King George Island) shelf bottoms, collected in summer 1996 (ANT-XIII/3, EASIZ I cruise) and autumn 2000 (ANT-XVII/3, EASIZ III cruise). L. producta in the studied geographic areas showed a wide bathymetric range (200–850 m depth), and a different size distribution pattern with depth, characterised by a reduction of large specimens in the deepest stations. The species is gonochoric, with females more abundant in specimens of larger sizes. Eggs at different stages of maturation (ranging from 40 to 320 μm in diameter) were examined in 270 individuals from different stations and size classes. Egg size showed a slightly bimodal trend, with largely overlapping egg cohorts, suggesting a continuous reproduction, and a long-lasting gametogenesis. Significant differences (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, P<0.05) in egg-size frequency distribution were detected only when data of the two geographic areas were compared (Weddell Sea vs King George Island), and not according to stations within each area, and females' size. The two sets of geographic samples were collected in different seasons and therefore it was not possible to assess if differences observed are due to sampling time or to geographic factors.

Mature spermatozoa were recognisable only in autumn male specimens from King George Island, and showed a rounded nucleus and a short conical acrosome. Occurrence of an endosymbiont polychaete, Veneriserva pygoclava meridionalis (new sub-species of Dorvilleidae), was recorded in the coelomic cavity of 163 specimens of L. producta, 125 of which were from the deepest station of the Weddell Sea (stn. 14, 850 m depth). L. producta females with and without the endosymbiont did not show differences in egg-size distribution.

The reproductive features of L. producta, together with its large size and slow growth, seem typical of a long-living predator species, and uncoupled from the typical summer environmental conditions and the pulsating system of coastal Antarctic waters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1a, b.
Fig. 2a, b.
Fig. 3a, b.
Fig. 4.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arntz WE, Brey T (2001) The expedition ANT XVII/3 (EASIZ-III) of R/V "Polarstern" in 2000. Ber Polarforsch 402:1–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Arntz WE, Gorny M (1991) Shrimp (Decapoda, Natantia) occurrence and distribution in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Polar Biol 11:169–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Arntz WE, Gutt J (1997) The expedition ANT XIII/3 (EASIZ-I) of R/V "Polarstern" to the eastern Weddell Sea in 1996. Ber Polarforsch 249:1–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Arntz WE, Brey T, Gallardo VA (1994) Antarctic zoobenthos. Oceanogr Mar Biol Annu Rev 32:241–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Arntz WE, Gutt J, Klages M (1997) Antarctic marine biodiversity, an overview. In: Battaglia B, Valencia J, Walton DWH (eds) Antarctic communities: species, structure, and survival. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 3–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Brey T, Clarke A (1993) Population dynamics of marine benthic invertebrates in Antarctic and subantarctic environments: are there unique adaptations? Antarct Sci 5:253–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Brey T, Dahm C, Gorny M, Klages M, Stiller M, Arntz WE (1996) Do Antarctic benthic invertebrates show an extended level of eurybathy? Antarct Sci 8:3–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke A (1988) Seasonality in the Antarctic marine environment. Comp Biochem Physiol 90B:461–473

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke A, Hopkins CCE, Nilssen EM (1991) Egg size and reproductive output in the deep-water prawn Pandalus borealis Kroyer, 1838. Funct Ecol 5:724–730

    Google Scholar 

  • Gambi MC (1997) Autoecology of Aphroditidae and Polynoidae (Polychaeta) on the continental shelf and slope of the eastern Weddell Sea. In: Arntz WE, Gutt J (eds) The Expedition ANT XIII/3 (EASIZ I) of R/V "Polarstern" to the eastern Weddell Sea in 1996. AWI, Bremerhaven. Ber Polarforsch 249:66–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Gambi MC, Giangrande A, Patti FP (2000) Comparative observations on reproductive biology of four species of Perkinsiana (Polychaeta, Sabellidae). Bull Mar Sci 67:299–309

    Google Scholar 

  • Gambi MC, Patti FP, Micaletto G, Giangrande A (2001) Diversity of reproductive features in some Antarctic polynoid and sabellid polychaetes, with description of Demonax polarsterni n. sp. (Polychaeta, Sabellidae). Polar Biol 24:883–891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giangrande A (1997) Polychaete reproductive patterns, life cycles and life histories: an overview. Oceanogr Mar Biol Annu Rev 35:323–386

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorny M, Arntz WE, Clarke A, Gore DJ (1992) Reproductive biology of caridean decapods from the Weddell Sea. Polar Biol 12:111–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartman O (1978) Polychaeta from the Weddell Sea quadrant, Antarctica. Biology of the Antarctic Seas. VI. Antarct Res Ser 26:125–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann-Schoeder G, Rosenfeldt P (1992) Die polychaeten der "Polarstern"-Reise ANT-V/1 in die Antarktis 1986. 1. Euphrosinidae bis Iphitimidae. Mitt Hamb Zool Mus Inst 89:85–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchings P, McRae J (1993) The Aphroditidae (Polychaeta) from Australia, together with the redescription of the Aphroditidae collected during the Siboga expedition. Rec Aust Mus 45:279–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Klages M (1993) Distribution, reproduction and population dynamics of the Antarctic gammaridean amphipod Eusirus perdentatus Chevreux, 1912 (Crustacea). Antarct Sci 5:349–359

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin D, Britayev TA (1998) Symbiotic polychaetes: review of known species. Oceanogr Mar Biol Annu Rev 36:217–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Micaletto G, Gambi MC, Cantone G (2002) A new record of the endosymbiont polychaete Veneriserva (Dorvilleidae), with description of a new sub-species, and relationships with its host Laetmonice producta (Polychaeta: Aphroditidae) in Southern Ocean waters (Antarctica). Mar Biol 141:691–698

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orejas Saco del Valle C, López González PJ, Gili JM, Teixidó N, Gutt J, Arntz WE (2002) Distribution and reproductive ecology of the Antarctic octocoral Ainigmaptilon antarcticum in the Weddell Sea. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 231:101–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearse JS, McClintock JB, Bosch I (1991) Reproduction of Antarctic benthic marine invertebrates: tempos, modes, and timing. Am Zool 31:65–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Piraino S, Montiel-San Martin A (2001) Autumn diversity and reproductive biology of polychaetes. In: Arntz WE, Brey T (eds) The Expedition ANT XVII/3 (EASIZ III) of R/V "Polarstern" in the eastern Weddell Sea in 2000. Ber Polarforsch 402:98–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Plyuscheva MV, Britayev TA, Buyanovsky AI (2001) The population structure and seasonal dynamics of Lepidonotus squamatus (Polychaeta: Polynoidae) in the White Sea. Proceedings 7th International Polychaete Conference, Reykjavik (Iceland) 2–6 July 2001 (abstract)

  • Rossi MM (1984) A new genus and species of iphitimid parasitic in an aphroditid (Polychaeta), with the emendation of the family Iphitimidae. Bull South Calif Acad Sci 83:163–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Rouse GW (1999) Polychaete sperm: phylogenetic and functional consideration. Hydrobiologia 402:215–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • San Martin G, Parapar J (1997) "Errant" polychaetes of the Livingston island shelf (South Shetland, Antarctica), with the description of a new species. Polar Biol 17:285–292

    Google Scholar 

  • Stiller M (1996) Distribution and biology of the aphroditids and polynoids (Polychaeta) in the eastern Weddell Sea and the Lazarev Sea (Antarctica). Ber Polarforsch 185:1–200 (in german)

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorson G (1950) Reproductive larval ecology of marine bottom invertebrates. Biol Rev 25:1–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Voß J (1988) Zoogeographie und Gemeinschaftsanalyse des Makrozoobenthos des Weddellmeeres (Antarktis). Ber Polarforsch 45:1–145

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Italian National Programme for Researches in Antarctica (PNRA). Organisation and logistic support on board R/V "Polarstern" was provided by the Alfred Wegener Institute (A.W.I., Germany). Thanks are due to Professor Arntz WE (A.W.I.), leader of EASIZ cruises, for his warm hospitality and valuable scientific discussions. SEM micrographs were made at the Stazione Zoologica "A. Dohrn" of Naples. Dr. G. Sabatella helped in the worm's dissection and preliminary analysis of symbiont occurrence. Three anonymous referees made useful suggestions and criticism.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stazione Zoologica "A. Dohrn", Laboratorio di Ecologia del Benthos, P.ta S. Pietro, 80077, Ischia, Naples, Italy

    Giovanni Micaletto & Maria Cristina Gambi

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e dell'Ambiente, University of Lecce, Italy

    Stefano Piraino

Authors
  1. Giovanni Micaletto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria Cristina Gambi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stefano Piraino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Cristina Gambi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Micaletto, G., Gambi, M.C. & Piraino, S. Observations on population structure and reproductive features of Laetmonice producta Grube (Polychaeta, Aphroditidae) in Antarctic waters. Polar Biol 26, 327–333 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-003-0482-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-003-0482-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation