Effects of imposex and parasite infection on the reproductive features of the Neptune whelkNeptunea arthritica

Autor: Katsuaki Fujinaga, Shigeru Nakao, Anthony S. Ilano, Richard M. Miranda
Rok vydání: 2009
Předmět:
Zdroj: Marine Biology Research. 5:268-277
ISSN: 1745-1019
1745-1000
DOI: 10.1080/17451000802419422
Popis: The effects of imposex and parasite infection on the reproductive cycle of Neptunea arthritica as well as sexual maturity size were examined from April 2003 to August 2004 in Saroma Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan. Samples were sexed and divided into two groups (normal and abnormal), based on the degree of imposex and parasite infection. In normal whelks, males reached sexual maturity at a smaller size (60 mm in shell length) than females (75 mm). Normal whelks copulated from March to August, with a peak between May and July, and spawned from May to August, with a peak in June–July. In all groups, the female ovary and pallial oviduct, and the male seminal vesicle developed synchronously, and inverse to the male testis. Abnormal whelks follow a normal reproductive cycle. However, significantly lower reproductive organ index values, modifications in the number of individuals and periods extension in each developmental stage were observed. Gonads of individuals with severe imposex (stage 3) and parasite inf...
Databáze: OpenAIRE
Nepřihlášeným uživatelům se plný text nezobrazuje