Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-x5gtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-26T19:26:07.100Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The reproductive biology of deep-sea forcipulate seastars (Asteroidea: Echinodermata) from the N.E. Atlantic Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

P. A. Tyler ,
S. L. Pain ,
J. D. Gage  and
D. S. M. Billett
P. A. Tyler
Affiliation:
Department of Oceanography, University College of Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA 8PP
S. L. Pain
Affiliation:
Department of Oceanography, University College of Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA 8PP
J. D. Gage
Affiliation:
Dunstaffnage Marine Research Laboratory, Scottish Marine Biological Association, P.O. Box 3, Oban, Argyll, PA3 AD
D. S. M. Billett
Affiliation:
Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, Wormley, Godalming, Surrey, GU8 5UB
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Samples of the deep-sea forcipulate seastars Brisinga endecacnemos, Brisingella coronata, Freyella spinosa and Zoroaster fulgens have been collected at a number of stations in the N.E. Atlantic. Examination of their reproductive biology suggests subtle interspecific variations in their gametogenic cycles. The gonads of Brisinga endecacnemos are serially arranged under the dorsal arm surface, each cluster of gonad tubules having its own gonopore. In the closely related Brisingella coronata each gonad consists of up to 12 elongate tubules opening at a single gonopore at the dorsal surface. In both species the maximum egg diameter is about 1250 μm and fecundity may be up to 60000 eggs per individual. It appears that the eggs in Brisinga endecacnemos are produced in clusters whilst those of Brisingella coronata are produced continuously. InFreyella spinosa the gonad consists of a small tubular sac analogous to a single tubule of Brisinga endecacnemos. Maximum fecundity is only 2500 eggs per individual, and the maximum egg size is 1250 μm. In all three species eggs that are not spawned undergo internal oocyte degeneration. The gonads of Zoroaster fulgens show the typical asteroid configuration of two at the base of each arm, one either side of the ambulacrum. The maximum oocyte diameter is 950 μm. There is some evidence that there may be a seasonality of reproduction in this species. In all four species examined the large egg size and relatively low fecundity suggest direct demersal development with the subtle variations in their reproductive biology reflecting slightly different breeding habits.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , August 1984 , pp. 587 - 601
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1984

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

Barker, M. F. 1979. Breeding and recruitment in a population of the New Zealand starfish Stichaster australis (Verrill). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 41,195–211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chia, F. S. 1968. Some observations on the development and cyclic changes of the oocytes in a brooding starfish Leptasterias hexactis. Journal of Zoology, 154, 453–461.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Falk-Petersen, I.-B. & Sargent, J. R. 1982. Reproduction of asteroids from Balsfjorden, northern Norway: analyses of lipids in the gonads of Ctenodiscus crispatus, Asterias lincki and Pteraster militaris. Marine Biology, 69, 291–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farmanfarmaian, A.Giese, A. C.Boolootian, R. A. & Bennett, J. 1958. Annual reproductive cycles in four species of west coast starfish. Journal of Experimental Zoology, 138, 355–367.Google Scholar
Gage, J. D.Pearson, M.Clark, A. M.Paterson, G. & Tyler, P. A. 1983. Echinoderms of the Rockall Trough and adjacent areas. I. Crinoidea, Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Zoology), 45, 263–308.Google Scholar
Giese, A. C.Boolootian, R. A.Farmanfarmaian, A.Greenfield, L. & Bennett, J. 1957. Reproductive cycles of some west coast echinoderms. Anatomical Record, 128, 554–555.Google Scholar
Grassle, J. F.Sanders, H. L.Hessler, R. R.Rowe, G. T. & Mclellan, T. 1975. Pattern and zonation: a study of the bathyal megafauna using the research submersible Alvin. Deep-Sea Research, 22, 457–481.Google Scholar
Greenfield, L. J.Giese, A. C.Farmanfarmaian, A. & Boolootian, R. A. 1958. Cyclic biochemical changes in several echinoderms. Journal of Experimental Zoology, 139, 507–524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Himmelman, J. H.Lavergne, Y.Cardinal, A.Mantel, G. & Jalbert, P. 1982. Brooding behaviour of the northern sea star Leptasterias polaris. Marine Biology, 68, 235–240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hyman, L. 1955. The Invertebrates. IV. Echinodermata. 763 pp. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co.Google Scholar
Jangoux, M. & Vloebergh, M. 1973. Contribution à l'étude du cycle annuel de reproduction d'une population d' Asterias rubens (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) du littoral Beige. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research, 6, 389–408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, Y. S. 1968. Histological observations of the annual changes in the gonad of the starfish Asterias amurensis Liiken. Bulletin of the Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University, 19, 97–108.Google Scholar
Madsen, F. J. 1956. Echinoidea, Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea from depths exceeding 6000 m. Galathea Report, 2, 23–32.Google Scholar
Menge, B. A. 1975. Brood or broadcast? The adaptive significance of different reproductive strategies in the two intertidal sea stars Leptasterias hexactis and Pisaster ochraceus. Marine Biology, 31, 87–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mileikovsky, S. A. 1968. Breeding of the starfishAsterias rubens L. in the White, Barents, Norwegian and other European Seas. Okeanologiya, Moscow, 8, 693–704. [In Russian, with English summary.]Google Scholar
Mortensen, T. 1927. Handbook of the Echinoderms of the British Isles. 471 pp. Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pain, S. L.Tyler, P. A. & Gage, J. D. 1982a. The reproductive biology of the deep-sea asteroids Benthopecten simplex (Perrier),Pectinaster filholi Perrier and Pontaster tenuispinus Düben & Koren (Phanerozonia: Benthopectinidae) from the Rockall Trough. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 65, 195–211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pain, S. L.Tyler, P. A. & Gage, J. D. 1982b. The reproductive biology of Hymenaster membranaceus from the Rockall Trough, North East Atlantic Ocean, with notes of H.gennaeus. Marine Biology, 70, 41–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pawson, D. L. 1976. Some aspects of the biology of deep-sea echinoderms. Thalassia jugoslavica, 12, 287–293.Google Scholar
Shick, J. M.Taylor, W. F. & Lamb, A. N. 1981. Reproduction of genetic variation in the deposit-feeding sea star Ctenodiscus crispatus. Marine Biology, 63, 51–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Town, J. C. 1980. Movement, morphology, reproductive periodicity, and some factors affecting gonad production in the seastar Astrostole scabra (Hutton). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 44, 111–132.Google Scholar
Tyler, P. A.Grant, A.Pain, S. L. & Gage, J. D. 1982. Is annual reproduction in deep-sea echinoderms a response to variability in their environment? Nature, London, 300, 747–750.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tyler, P. A. & Pain, S. L. 1982a. The reproductive biology of Plutonaster bifrons, Dytaster insignis and Psilaster andromeda (Asteroidea: Astropectinidae) from the Rockall Trough. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the aUnited Kingdom, 62, 869–887.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tyler, P. A. & Pain, S. L. 1982b. Observations of gametogenesis in the deep-sea asteroids Paragonaster subtilis and Pseudarchaster parelii (Phanerozonia: Goniasteridae). International Journal of Invertebrate Reproduction, 5, 269–272.Google Scholar
Tyler, P. A.Pain, S. L. & Gage, J. D. 1982. The reproductive biology of the deep-sea asteroid Bathybiaster vexillifer. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 62, 57–69.Google Scholar
Vevers, H. G. 1949. The biology of Asterias rubens L.: growth and reproduction. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 28, 165–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Worley, E. K.Franz, D. R. & Hendler, G. 1977. Seasonal patterns of gametogenesis in a North Atlantic brooding asteroid Leptasterias tenera. Biological Bulletin. Marine Biology Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass., 153, 237–253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar