Gonadal growth and reproduction in the sea urchin Sphaerechinus granularis (Lamarck 1816) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in southern Spain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2008.72n3603Keywords:
Echinodermata, Echinoidea, gonadosomatic index, Sphaerechinus granularis, reproductive cycle, sea urchinAbstract
The gonadal index and reproductive state of the sea urchin Sphaerechinus granularis were studied for a year in three populations from southeast Spain. The development of the gonad during the period of study was assessed using histological methods and four maturity stages were considered for female specimens and two for male specimens. The study of gonad development showed a clearly defined annual cycle of gametogenesis with a single spawning period in summer-autumn. It begins in June at Torremuelle and Palmeral and a month later at La Herradura. The three populations exhibited similar reproductive patterns, having mature gonads in almost all the months. Though the environmental conditions were similar, the population from La Herradura had the highest Gonadosomatic Index value (GSI) and that from Torremuelle the lowest one.
Downloads
References
Ballesteros, E. – 1981. Algunos datos biométricos de Paracentrotus lividus (Lmk.), Arbacia lixula (L.) y Sphaerechinus granularis (Lmk.) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea). Oecol. Aquat., 5: 227-231.
Bayed, A., F. Quiniou, A. Benrha and M. Guillou. – 2005. The Paracentrotus lividus populations from the northern Moroccan Atlanic coast: growth, reproduction and health condition. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U. K., 85: 999-1007. doi:10.1017/S0025315405012026
Buchanan, J.B. – 1966. The biology of Echinocardium cordatum (Echinodermata: Spantagoidea) from differents habitats. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 46: 97-114.
Byrne, M. – 1990. Annual reproductive cycles of the commercial sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus from an exposed intertidal and a sheltered subtidal habitat on the west coast of Ireland. Mar. Biol., 104: 275-289. doi:10.1007/BF01313269
Cabioch, L. – 1968. Contribution à la connaissance des peuplements bentiques de la Manche occidentale. Cah. Biol. Mar., 9(Suppl.): 493-720.
Campos-Villaca, M. – 1984. Données préliminaires sur l’éthologie alimentaire de l’oursin Sphaerechinus granularis dans l’herbier á Posidonia oceanica de la baie de Port-Cros. Mémoire de Diplôme d’études approfondies d’Océanographie Biologique. Univ. d’Aix Marseille II, France.
Cherbonnier, G. – 1958. Faune marine des Pyrénées orientales. Fasc. 2. Echinodermes. Université de Paris et Laboratoire Arago, France.
Dix, T.G. – 1972. Biology of Echinus chloroticus (Echinoidea: Echinometridae) from different localities. 4. Age, growth and size. NZ J. Mar. Freshwater Res., 6: 48-68
Ebert, T.A. – 1967. Negative growth and longevity in the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Stimpson). Science, 157: 557-558 doi:10.1126/science.157.3788.557 PMid:17801416
Ebert, T.A. – 1968. Growth rates of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus related to food availability and spine abration. Ecology, 49: 1075-1091 doi:10.2307/1934491
Edwards, P.B. and T.A. Ebert. – 1991. Plastic response to limited food availability and spine damage in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Stimpson). J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 145: 205-220 doi:10.1016/0022-0981(91)90176-W
Fenaux, L. – 1968. Maturation de gonades et cycle saisonnier des larves chez Arbacia lixula, Paracentrotus lividus et Psammechinus microtuberculatus (Equinides) à Villefranche sur-Mer. Vie Milieu, 19: 1-52.
Fenaux, L. – 1972. Modalités de ponte chez l’oursin Sphaerechinus granularis (Lmk.). Revue Ges. Hydrobiology, 57: 551-558. doi:10.1002/iroh.19720570406
Fenaux, L. and M.L. Pedrotti. – 1988. Métamorphose des larves d’echinides en pleine eau. PSZNI Mar. Ecol., 9: 93-107. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0485.1988.tb00201.x
Fuji, A. – 1967. Ecological studies on the growth and food consumption of Japanese common litoral sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius (Agassiz). Mem. Fac. Fish, Univ. Hokkaïdo, 15: 83-160.
Gonor, J.J. – 1972. Gonad growth in the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Stimpson) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) and the assumptions of gonadal index methods. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 10: 89-103. doi:10.1016/0022-0981(72)90095-0
Guettaf, M., G.A. San Martin and P. Francour. – 2000. Interpopulation variability of the reproductive cycle of Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in the south-western Mediterranean. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 80: 899-907. doi:10.1017/S0025315400002885
Guillou, M. and C. Michel. – 1993. Reproduction and growth of Sphaerechinus granularis (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in southern Brittany. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 73: 179-192.
Guillou, M. and C. Michel. – 1994. The influence of environmental factors on the growth of Sphaerechinus granularis (Lamarck) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea). J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 178: 97-111. doi:10.1016/0022-0981(94)90227-5
Guillou, M., A. Judas and F. Quiniou. – 1997. Variabilité de divers paramètres du développement postmétamorphique de l’oursin Sphaerechinus granularis en fonction de la qualité de l’environnement. Ann. Inst. Oceanogr., Paris, 73: 49-57.
Guillou, M. and L.J.L. Lumingas. – 1998. The reproductive cycle of the blunt sea urchin Sphaerechinus granularis (Echinodermata: Echinoidea). Aquac. Int., 6: 147-160. doi:10.1023/A:1009290307840
Guillou, M. and L.J.L. Lumingas. – 1999. Variation in the reproductive strategy of the sea urchin Sphaerechinus granularis (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) related to food availability. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 79: 131-136. doi:10.1017/S0025315498000149
Guillou, M., L.J.L. Lumingas and C. Michel. – 2000. The effect of feeding starvation on resource allocation to body components during the reproductive cycle for the sea urchin Sphaerechinus granularis (Lamarck). J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 245: 183-196. doi:10.1016/S0022-0981(99)00162-8 PMid:10699209
Harrold, C. and J.S. Pearse. – 1980. Allocation of pyloric caecum reserves in fed and starved sea stars, Pisaster giganteus (Stimpson): somatic maintenance comes before reproduction. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 48: 169-183. doi:10.1016/0022-0981(80)90015-5
Hernández, J.C., A. Brito, N. García, M.C. Gil-Rodríguez, G. Herrera, A. Cruz-Reyes and J.M. Falcón. – 2006. Spatial and seasonal variation of the gonad index of Diadema antillarum (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in the Canary Islands. Sci. Mar., 70(4): 689-698.
Jordana, E., M. Guillou and L.J.L. Lumingas. – 1997. Age and growth of the sea-urchin Sphaerechinus granularis in South Brittany. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 77: 1199-1212.
Kelly, M.S., J.D. McKenzie and C.C. Brodie. – 1998. Sea urchins in polyculture: the way to enhanced gonad growth? In: R. Mooi and M. Telford (eds.), Echinoderms, pp. 707-711. San Francisco. Balkema, Rotterdam.
Kenner, M.C. – 1992. Population dynamics of the sea urchins Strongylocentrotus purpuratus in a central California kelp forest: recruitment, mortality, growth and diet. Mar. Biol., 112: 107-118. doi:10.1007/BF00349734
King, C.K., O. Hoegh-Guldberg and M. Byrne. – 1994. Reproduction cycle of Centrostephanus rodgersii (Echinoidea), with recommendations for the establishment of a sea urchin fishery in New South Wales. Mar. Biol., 120: 95-106.
Köhler, R. – 1921. Faune de France. I Échinodermes. Le Chevalier, Paris.
Larson, B.R., R.L. Vadas and M. Keser. – 1980. Feeding and nutritional ecology of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis in Maine, USA. Mar. Biol., 59: 49-62. doi:10.1007/BF00396982
Lawrence, J.M. and J.M. Lane. – 1982. The utilization of the resources by post-metamorphic echinoderms. In: M. Jangoux and J.M. Lawrence (eds.), Echinoderm nutrition, pp. 331-371. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam.
Lozano, J., Galera, J., López, S., Turon, X., C. Palacín and G. Morera. – 1995. Biological cycles and recruitment of Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in two contrasting habitats. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 122: 179-191. doi:10.3354/meps122179
Lumingas, L. – 1994. La plasticité chez l’oursin: cas de Sphaerechinus granularis en rade de Brest (Bretagne, France). PhD thesis, Univ. Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France.
Martínez, I., F.J. García, A.I. Sánchez, J.L. Daza and F. Del Castillo. – 2003. Biometric parameters and reproductive cycle of Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck) in three habitats of southern Spain. In: J.M. Féral and B. David (eds.), Echinoderm Research, pp. 281-287. 2001 Swets and Zeitlinger, Lisse.
Meidel, S.K. and R.E. Scheibling. – 1998. Annual reproductive cycle of the green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, in differing habitats in Nova Scotia, Canada. Mar. Biol., 131: 461-478. doi:10.1007/s002270050338
Munk, J.E. – 1992. Reproduction and growth of the green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (Muller) near Kodiak, Alaska. J. Shellfish Res., 11(2): 245-254
Nichols, D., A.A.T. Sime and G.M. Bishop. – 1985. Growth in populations of the sea urchin Echinus esculentus L. (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) from the English Channel and Firth of Clyde. J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. U.K., 86: 219-228.
Pearse, J.S. – 1969. Reproductive periodicities of Indo-Pacific invertebrates in the Gulf of Suez II. The echinoid Echinometra mathaei (De Blainville). Bull. Mar. Sci., 19: 580-613.
Pearse, J.S. and R.A. Cameron. – 1991. Echinodermata: Echinoidea. In: A.C. Giese, J.S. Pearse and V.B. Pearse (eds.), Reproduction of marine invertebrates, pp. 513-662. Echinodermata and Lophophorates VI Boxwood Press.
Régis, M.B. – 1979. Analyses des fluctuations des indices physiologiques chez deux échinoïdes Paracentrotus lividus (Lmk) et Arbacia lixula (L.) du Golfe de Marseille. Théthys, 9(2): 167-181.
Sánchez-España, A.I., I. Martínez-Pita and F.J. García. – 2004. Gonadal growth and reproduction in the commercial sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) from southern Spain. Hydrobiologia, 519: 61-72. doi:10.1023/B:HYDR.0000026485.40173.02
Sartoretto, S. and P. Francour. – 1997. Quantification of bioerosion by Sphaerechinus granularis on “coralligene” concretions of the western Mediterranean. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 77: 565-568.
Sellem, F. and M. Guillou. – 2007. Paracentrotus lividus reproduction in northern Tunisia. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 87: 763-767. doi:10.1017/S002531540705521X
Semroud, R. and H. Kada. – 1987. Contribution à l’étude de l’oursin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck) dans la région d’Alger (Algérie): indice de réplétion et indice gonadique. In: C.F. Bouderesque (ed.), Colloque Internacional sur Paracentrotus lividus et les oursins comestibles, pp. 117-124. Marseille, France: GIS Posidonie.
Sivertsen, K. and C.C.E. Hopkins. – 1995. Demography of the echinoid Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis related to biotope in northern Norway. In: H.R. Skjodal, C. Hopkins, K.E. Eriktad and H.P. Leinaas (eds.). Ecology of fjords and coastal waters, pp. 549-571. Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam.
Soualili, D.L., M. Guillou and R. Semroud. – 1999. Age and growth of the echinoid Sphaerechinus granularis from the Algerian coast. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 79: 1139-1140. doi:10.1017/S0025315499001460
Spirlet, C., P. Grosjean and M. Jangoux. – 1998. Reproductive cycle of the echinoid Paracentrotus lividus: analysis by means of the maturity index. IRD 34(1): 69-81.
Thompson, R.J. – 1982. The relationship between food ration and reproductive effort in the green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis. Oecologia, 56: 50-57. doi:10.1007/BF00378216
Tortonese, E. – 1965. Fauna d’Italia, vol. VI. Echinodermata. Ed. Calderine. Bologna, Italia.
Vadas, R.L. – 1977. Preferential feeding: an optimization strategy in sea-urchins. Ecol. Monogr. USA., 47: 337-371.
Verlaque, M. – 1981. Preliminary data on some Posidonia feeders. Rapp. P.-v. Réun. CIESM, Monaco, 27(2): 201-202.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2008 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© CSIC. Manuscripts published in both the print and online versions of this journal are the property of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, and quoting this source is a requirement for any partial or full reproduction.
All contents of this electronic edition, except where otherwise noted, are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. You may read the basic information and the legal text of the licence. The indication of the CC BY 4.0 licence must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Self-archiving in repositories, personal webpages or similar, of any version other than the final version of the work produced by the publisher, is not allowed.