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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 58(4)

Dynamics of gametogenesis, embryogenesis, and larval release in a Mediterranean homosclerophorid demosponge

A. Riesgo A C , M. Maldonado A and M. Durfort B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Aquatic Ecology, Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CSIC), Acceso Cala St. Francesc 14, Blanes 17300, Girona, Spain.

B Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad de Barcelona, Avenida Diagonal 645, 08071 Barcelona, Spain.

C Corresponding author. Email: ariesgo@ceab.csic.es

Marine and Freshwater Research 58(4) 398-417 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF06052
Submitted: 30 March 2006  Accepted: 31 January 2007   Published: 13 April 2007

Abstract

We investigated the cycle of sexual reproduction in a Mediterranean population of Corticium candelabrum by light and electron microscopy, using non-destructive tissue sampling. Most individuals of this hermaphroditic species engaged in reproduction. The relationship between seawater temperature and gametogenesis was not straightforward. Oogenesis, characterised by a long phase of oocyte growth, was continuous, with new oocytes appearing every single month of the year. Nevertheless, maximum oocyte production coincided with declining temperatures. Likewise, spermatogenesis started in the coldest month of the year. In contrast, embryonic development and larval release were limited to a few weeks during the seasonal rise of temperature and the warmest months, respectively. Female and male gametes were located in close proximity in the mesohyl. Monociliated spermatogonia putatively derived from choanocytes, and oogonia from archaeocytes. Spermatogenesis, which strongly resembled that in higher animals, produced round spermatozoa that were provided with acrosome and anchoring system for the cilium. Mature oocytes became surrounded by a bacterial layer. Many symbiotic bacteria served for oocyte nourishment, but others were transferred to the larva. As a whole, the reproductive cycle, which also exhibited quite successful fertilisation and low mortality during embryonic development, appears finely tuned to improve the competitive ability of this sponge.

Additional keywords: cell ultrastructure, Porifera, reproductive cycle, sexual reproduction, sponge oocyte, sponge spermatozoon, symbiotic bacteria.


Acknowledgements

We thank Almudena García and Nùria Cortadellas for sample preparation for the histological study, and Carmen Carmona, Rocío Pérez, and Laura Núñez for help with fieldwork. This study was supported by two grants from the Spanish Ministry for Science and Education (MCYT-BMC2002-01228; MEC-CTM2005-05366/MAR).


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1 We use the term cilia to refer to eukaryotic organelles whose structure is characterised by an essentially identical arrangement of microtubules. Following Nielsen (2001) and Maldonado (2004), this definition covers a spectrum from the undulating cilium of many protists and the undulating-rotating cilium of sperm cells to the planar cilium of vertebrate multiciliated cells. In agreement with other zoologists, we reserve the term flagellum for simpler structures found in bacteria, which lack microtubules.