Fertilization success in Galeolaria caespitosa (Polychaeta: Serpillidae): gamete characteristics, role of sperm dilution, gamete age, and contact time

Authors

  • Elena K. Kupriyanova School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2006.70s3309

Keywords:

Galeolaria caespitosa, Serpulidae, Polychaeta, egg size, gamete longevity, sperm behaviour, fertilization success, gamete concentration and age

Abstract


Variability in gamete traits and the factors affecting fertilization success were studied in a common gregarious broadcast-spawning serpulid polychaete Galeolaria caespitosa. Variability of egg size and sperm velocity were not related to the adult size. High sperm concentrations (107-108 sperm. ml-1) were required to achieve fertilization rates of 60-80%. The gamete contact time required to achieve high fertilization rates (70-80%) in G. caespitosa did not exceed 5 minutes of gamete exposure given sufficiently high sperm concentrations. This suggests that attachment of sperm to the egg takes place very rapidly, and a short-term exposure to highly concentrated sperm is a common feature of fertilization ecology of this gregarious species. A sharp decline in fertilization rates at high sperm concentrations usually attributable to polyspermy was not observed. Sperm were motile for up to 6 hours after activation; however, swimming velocity and fertilization success decreased after 2 hours. Eggs of G. caespitosa were fertilizable up to 10 hours after spawning, but the number of embryos resulting from fertilizations by fresh sperm decreased after 2 hours. The gamete traits of G. caespitosa appear to have evolved to enable this sessile organism to reproduce under conditions of high population density and increased risk of polyspermy.

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Published

2006-12-30

How to Cite

1.
Kupriyanova EK. Fertilization success in Galeolaria caespitosa (Polychaeta: Serpillidae): gamete characteristics, role of sperm dilution, gamete age, and contact time. Sci. mar. [Internet]. 2006Dec.30 [cited 2024Mar.28];70(S3):309-17. Available from: https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/136

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