|
Vol. 51 No. 7, 2012
No Tradeoff between Sexual and Asexual Investments in the Sea Anemone Aiptasia pulchella (Anthozoa: Actiniaria)
Chienhsiun Chen1,2, Herng-Yuan Chang1, and Keryea Soong1,*
1Institute of Marine Biology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
2Taiwan Ocean Research Institute, National Applied Research Laboratories, Kaohsiung 852, Taiwan
Chienhsiun Chen, Herng-Yuan Chang, and Keryea Soong (2012) Classic
examples of tradeoffs between sexual and asexual reproduction include
rotifers, aphids, and water fleas, in which reproduction is either
sexual or asexual depending on the season. In marine organisms
capable of simultaneously reproducing in both modes, the same rules
presumably apply despite a lack of evidence. In this study, we
analyzed the sea anemone Aiptasia pulchella
in southern Taiwan, which continuously produces asexual lacerates from
pedal disks while developing gonads in the mesenteries.
Investments in the 2 reproductive modes under different feeding
frequencies, local densities, temperatures/photoperiods, and light
intensities/presence of zooxanthellae were compared. Three of the
4 above comparisons revealed simultaneous increases in both
reproductive investments, whereas no correlation was observed in
controlling photoperiod and temperature. There may be little
competition for resources when both reproductive modes are
simultaneously exhibited. The critical resource that results in
classic examples of tradeoff is apparently not energy or materials, but
rather the organs shared by the 2 reproductive modes.
Key words: Tradeoff, Reproduction, Sexuality, Asexuality, Sea anemones.
*Correspondence: Tel: 886-7-5255109. Fax: 886-7-5255100. E-mail:keryea@mail.nsysu.edu.tw
|
