Embryonic and larval development is conditioned by water temperature and maternal origin of eggs in the sea urchin Arbacia dufresnii (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)

FERNANDEZ, JIMENA PIA; CHAAR, FLORENCIA; EPHERRA, LUCÍA; JORGE MARCELO, GONZALEZ ARAVENA; RUBILAR, TAMARA

REVISTA DE BIOLOGíA TROPICAL

REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL

Lugar: Turrialba; Año: 2021

0034-7744

Introduction: Embryonic and larval development in sea urchins is highlydependent on maternal nutritional status and on the environmental conditions of theseawater. Objective: To compare the development of Arbacia dufresnii in two differentwater temperatures and in progeny with varying maternal origins. Methods: We induced A.dufresnii females and males from Nuevo Gulf to spawn, collected the eggs of each femaleindividually (progeny), separated them into two seawater temperatures (12 and 17 °C), andfertilized them. We recorded the percentage of fertilized eggs and embryos perdevelopmental stage according to time, temperature and progeny. We measured larvalgrowth by total length (TL) and midline body length (M) according to time postfecundation (DPF), temperature, and progeny. Results: Temperature did not affectfertilization, but embryo development was faster and more synchronized in the hightemperature treatment. The generalized linear models indicate that embryo developmentdepends on a quadruple interaction between the embryonic stage, time (h), seawatertemperature and progeny. Larval growth was faster, producing larger larvae at the highesttemperature. Larval growth depends on a triple interaction between time (DPF), seawatertemperature and progeny. Conclusions: We found a temperature and progeny impactduring embryonic and larval development and, in both cases, these factors generate asynergistic effect on developmental timing and larval size. This probably provides asurvival advantage as a more rapid speed of development implies a decrease in the timespent in the water column, where the sea urchins are vulnerable to biotic and abioticstressors.