Energetics and development mode of the Asteroidea (Echinodermata) from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

CINTIA FRAYSSE; ANALÍA F PEREZ; JAVIER A. CALCAGNO; CLAUDIA BOY

POLAR BIOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2020 p. 175 - 186

0722-4060

Reproduction is a highly expensive process that during gonadal development requires an important supply of nutrients. The allocation of energy can vary throughout the reproductive cycle, between sexes and development modes. The main objectives of this work were to determine the energetic density (ED) of somatic and reproductive organs of asteroids from the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, second, to compare the ED of body components of species with different development modes, and third, to provide a tool to estimate the ED from dry mass of organs of the species analyzed. The samples were collected at 17 stations on board the RV Puerto Deseado. The ED of the gonads, pyloric caeca and body wall was quantified by using a calorimetric micro bomb. Regarding the ED of the gonads, the ovaries of Diplopteraster verrucosus (brooder with nidamental chamber) presented greater ED than the testes (29.81±1.38 and 17.76±1.59, respectively), also, in Glabraster antarctica (broadcaster with lecithotrophic larvae), the gonads presented an ED of 25.78±3.16 and 19.21±0.52 (females and males, respectively). In Peribolaster folliculatus (broadcaster with planktotrophic larvae) there was no difference between sexes (females: 22.79±1.10 and males: 20.46±1.05). In pyloric caeca, the ED did not show differences between sexes, although in P. folliculatus ED was higher than in D. verrucosus and G. antarctica (25.90±1.00, 23.03±0.34 and 22.66±0.65, respectively). The body wall had higher ED in D. verrucosus and P. folliculatus than all the species analyzed (46.48±1.63, 51.17±1.34, respectively). The high ED in the ovaries could be related to the nutrition of the offspring, while the differences found in the body wall would respond to the structure of this organ. This research provides basic information for understanding the differences on energetic allocation when different development modes are considered.