Sex reversal in<i>Ophryotrocha puerilis puerilis</i>(Polychaeta, Dorvilleidae) induced by ethereal extracts of female phase individuals

Marchionni, Valeria; Rolando, Antonio

doi:10.1080/11250008109439321

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Among polychaetes, species-specific sex pheromones are known from few species (Andries, 2001). In the genus Ophryotrocha, females of the gonochoric O. labronica and of the sequentially hermaphroditic O. puerilis produce water-borne pheromones to attract males (Berglund, 1990), and the 'pair culture effect' [resulting from the fact that placing two mature O. puerilis females together causes one of the two to change sex (Hartmann and Huth, 1936)] is induced by a lipidic pheromone (Marchionni and Rolando, 1981). Little is known about the chemical cues that promote perception of social environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender expression and group size: a test in a hermaphroditic and a gonochoric congeneric species of Ophryotrocha (Polychaeta)

Schleicherova

Lorenzi

Sella

et al. 2010

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYHermaphroditism and gonochorism are two contrasting forms of sexuality. Hermaphroditic species are generally seen as species adapted to conditions of low density, stabilized by poor mate search efficiency and high costs of searching. They can adjust allocation of reproductive resources to each sex function in response to current social conditions, making reproduction more efficient, at least in principle. By contrast, gonochorism (separate sexes) is advantageous when mates are frequent, making it ineffective to maintain two sex functions in a single individual. This, however, also rules out the need for a flexible response to mating opportunities as known for hermaphrodites. In the hermaphroditic marine polychaete worm Ophryotrocha diadema we showed earlier that group size is assessed through a chemical cue. In this study we verified the accuracy of the response to gradients of the chemical cue used to assess group size by O. diadema by checking reduction in egg production as the group of partners increases, as expected according to sex allocation theory. Furthermore we compared the effect of such a gradient with a similar gradient in a closely related gonochoric species (O. labronica). Here sex allocation adjustment is not predicted, thus an adaptive change in egg production in response to group-size cues is not expected. In fact, our results show that the group-size effect only occurs in O. diadema and not in O. labronica. Moreover, our study provides evidence of high perceptual abilities of chemical cues in O. diadema, suggesting that perceiving social cues and adjusting sex allocation appropriately are special properties of hermaphrodites.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender expression and group size: a test in a hermaphroditic and a gonochoric congeneric species of Ophryotrocha (Polychaeta)

Schleicherova

Lorenzi

Sella

et al. 2010

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…In Ophryotrocha puerilis, the existence of sex attractants emanating from females has been observed repeatedly, (Pfannenstiel. 1977: Marchionni and Rolando. 1981: Frankeand Pfannenstiel.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reciprocation, Reproductive Success, and Safeguards Against Cheating in a Hermaphroditic Polychaete Worm,Ophryotrocha diademaÅkesson, 1976

Sella

1988

The Biological Bulletin

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Ophryotrocha diadema. a simultaneous hermaphroditic polychaete worm, forms pairs in which both partners regularly alternate sex roles and trade eggs. Since O. diadema has a protandrous phase, safeguards against cheating by a non-reciprocating partner, either male or hermaphrodite, have evolved. Results of a mate choice experiment indicate that protandrous males are generally discarded as mates because they are unable to reciprocate with eggs. Reproductive success (measured by estimating the mean number of egg masses per individual per day) of hermaphrodites paired with males was significantly lower than the reproductive success of hermaphrodites paired with hermaphrodites. This indicates that O. diadema is able to time spawning activity according to the sexual condition of its partner. On the other hand, oogenesis and the production of multiple batches of mature oocytes is independent of the presence of a partner. Worms did not discard mates with substantially fewer eggs. The small size of clutches and the short interval between successive spawnings could he considered a form of egg parcelling, which would prevent exploitation of hermaphroditic individuals by partners unable to reciprocate.

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Sequential hermaphroditism and the size-advantage hypothesis: an experimental test

Berglund

1990

Animal Behaviour

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Sex reversal inOphryotrocha puerilis puerilis(Polychaeta, Dorvilleidae) induced by ethereal extracts of female phase individuals

Cited by 5 publications

References 4 publications

Gender expression and group size: a test in a hermaphroditic and a gonochoric congeneric species of Ophryotrocha (Polychaeta)

Gender expression and group size: a test in a hermaphroditic and a gonochoric congeneric species of Ophryotrocha (Polychaeta)

Reciprocation, Reproductive Success, and Safeguards Against Cheating in a Hermaphroditic Polychaete Worm,Ophryotrocha diademaÅkesson, 1976

Sequential hermaphroditism and the size-advantage hypothesis: an experimental test

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