Abstract
The reproductive biology of Palythoa caribaeorum (Duchassaing & Michelotti 1860) and Protopalythoa variabilis (Duerden 1898) was studied through monthly samples from tagged colonies from June 1996 to June 1997, in Sao Sebastiao channel, São Paulo, Brazil (45 degrees 26'W, 23 degrees 50'S). The gametogenesis was similar to that of other zoanthids as shown by histological preparations. Oocyte diameters and maturation stages of testis vesicles were evaluated on squash preparations. Both species showed sequential protogynic hermaphroditism, with high frequency of fertile polyps (83% in P. variabilis and 72% in P. caribaeorun), high frequency of colonies in female sex condition (65.3% of P variabilis and 41.7% of P caribaeorum), and apparently continuous gametogenesis. In P. caribaribaeonrum, egg release was continuous and sperm release took place during half of the analyzed period. In P. variabilis, egg and sperm release occurred in April-May and February-March 1997, respectively.
Highlights
The zoanthids are frequent organisms within shallow water communities along the coast of Brazil, in which Zoanthus spp. and Palythoa spp. are as common (Rohlfs de Macedo & Belém, 1994) as they are in other tropical reefs of the world (Ryland & Babcock, 1991)
The goal of this study is to clarify sexual reproduction of Palythoa caribaeorum (Duchassaing & Michelotti 1860) and Protopalythoa variabilis (Duerden 1898) by describing the gametogenesis and focusing on monthly variation of the gonad profile within colonies to determine the frequency of fertile polyps and the reproduction rate of polyps and colonies
Colonies of P. caribaeorum and P. variabilis sampled were living in the shallow rocky bottom of the São Sebastião Channel (SSC), São Paulo, Brazil, in the vicinity of the Centro de Biologia Marinha, University of São Paulo (CEBIMar – USP) (45o26’W, 23o50’S)
Summary
The zoanthids are frequent organisms within shallow water communities along the coast of Brazil, in which Zoanthus spp. and Palythoa spp. are as common (Rohlfs de Macedo & Belém, 1994) as they are in other tropical reefs of the world (Ryland & Babcock, 1991). At the southeastern coast of Brazil there are numerous colonies of Protopalythoa variabilis (Duerden 1898) (non Palythoa variabilis). The systematics of zoanthids is even today considered confusing. Both colonies and polyps are highly variable within species. Many published descriptions lack essential diagnostic information, which makes comparisons difficult. Recent work using molecular genetics (Burnett et al, 1997) suggests that many nominate species really represent no more than synonyms
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