Reproductive Strategies and Patterns in Marine Invertebrates: Diversity and Evolution

Echinodermata is a phylum of marine invertebrates which has been extant since Cambrian time (c.a. 500 m.y. before the present). Modern examples of echinoderms include sea urchins, sea stars, and sea lilies (crinoids). The endoskeletons of echinoderms are composed of plates or ossicles (Fig. 1) which are with few exceptions, porous, single crystals of high-magnesian calcite. Despite their single crystal nature, fracture surfaces do not exhibit the near-perfect {10.4} cleavage characteristic of inorganic calcite. This paradoxical mix of biogenic and inorganic features has prompted much recent work on echinoderm skeletal crystallography. Furthermore, fossil echinoderm hard parts comprise a volumetrically significant portion of some marine limestones sequences. The ultrastructural and microchemical characterization of modern skeletal material should lend insight into: 1). The nature of the biogenic processes involved, for example, the relationship of Mg heterogeneity to morphological and structural features in modern echinoderm material, and 2). The nature of the diagenetic changes undergone by their ancient, fossilized counterparts. In this study, high resolution TEM (HRTEM), high voltage TEM (HVTEM), and STEM microanalysis are used to characterize tha ultrastructural and microchemical composition of skeletal elements of the modern crinoid Neocrinus blakei.

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Variation in Reproductive Strategies Influences Post-Coital Experiences with Partners

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e566842012-060 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel J. Kruger ◽

Susan M. Hughes

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Strategies

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Isolation and Anti-infective Activity Screening of Marine Invertebrates-Associated Fungi

Planta Medica ◽

10.1055/s-0033-1348588 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 79 (10) ◽

Author(s):

DTA Youssef ◽

LA Shaala ◽

F Al-Jamali ◽

E Schmidt

Keyword(s):

Marine Invertebrates ◽

Activity Screening ◽

Infective Activity

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Neonatal nutritional strategy of a viviparous elasmobranch with extremely low reproductive output

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps13261 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 638 ◽

pp. 107-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

BS Rangel ◽

NE Hussey ◽

Y Niella ◽

LA Martinelli ◽

AD Gomes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Reproductive Strategies ◽

Trophic Ecology ◽

Essential Fatty Acids ◽

Physiological State ◽

Maternal Investment ◽

Early Life History ◽

Nutritional State ◽

Disc Width ◽

Biomarker Analysis

Throughout evolutionary history, elasmobranchs have developed diverse reproductive strategies. Little focused work, however, has addressed how neonatal nutritional state is affected by differing degrees of maternal investment associated with these markedly different reproductive strategies. To investigate the effect of maternal investment on the nutritional quality of pups during the early life history of an extremely viviparous elasmobranch, quantitative biomarker analysis including lipids, fatty acids and stable isotopes was conducted. Using the cownose ray Rhinoptera bonasus (histotrophic viviparous) as a model, we found that pups were initially born in a positive nutritional state, enriched in physiologically important essential fatty acids and nitrogen and carbon stable isotope values (δ15N and δ13C), a result of maternal intrauterine transfer. A systematic decrease in some fatty acids and δ15N values, as well as a decrease in cholesterol with growth, confirmed that these substrates were derived from maternal resources and used in initial metabolic processes following birth. An observed increase in condition factor, plasma essential fatty acids and triglyceride:cholesterol ratio with increasing body size identified a progression towards successful independent foraging with pups not displaying marked nutritional deficiency or fasting phases. Our multi-tracer approach allowed the identification of 2 size classes of young rays (<50 and <70 cm disc width) that displayed distinct physiological states. Since prenatal maternal investment is critical for offspring condition and to promote successful foraging post birth, understanding the trophic ecology and physiological state of pups during their first year is critical to guide management and conservation within nursery grounds.

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Charles Francis Adams: diary of a young American taxidermist visiting New Zealand, 1884–1887

Archives of Natural History ◽

10.3366/anh.2014.0206 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 1-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

B. J. Gill

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

San Francisco ◽

Marine Invertebrates ◽

Working Life ◽

Early Years ◽

Detailed Account ◽

East Indies ◽

The Pacific ◽

Set Up ◽

White Island

In December 1884 Charles Francis Adams (1857–1893) left Illinois, USA, by train for San Francisco and crossed the Pacific by ship to work as taxidermist at Auckland Museum, New Zealand, until February 1887. He then went to Borneo via several New Zealand ports, Melbourne and Batavia (Jakarta). This paper concerns a diary by Adams that gives a daily account of his trip to Auckland and the first six months of his employment (from January to July 1885). In this period Adams set up a workshop and diligently prepared specimens (at least 124 birds, fish, reptiles and marine invertebrates). The diary continues with three reports of trips Adams made from Auckland to Cuvier Island (November 1886), Karewa Island (December 1886) and White Island (date not stated), which are important early descriptive accounts of these small offshore islands. Events after leaving Auckland are covered discontinuously and the diary ends with part of the ship's passage through the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), apparently in April 1887. Adams's diary is important in giving a detailed account of a taxidermist's working life, and in helping to document the early years of Auckland Museum's occupation of the Princes Street building.

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