Cycle of Cosmasterias lurida (Echinodermata:Asteroidea) in the Patagonian Coast.

QUIÑEHUAL, MARIEL; RUBILAR, TAMARA; DÍAZ DE VIVAR ,MARÍA ENRIQUETA; PASTOR DE WARD, CATALINA TERESA

Munich

Congreso; 11th International Echinoder Conference; 2003

Ludwig – Maximilians - Universitat

Reproductive cycle of Cosmasterias lurida (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in the Patagonian Coast. Quiñehual, M.T.1; Rubilar, Tamara1 ; Díaz de Vivar, M.E.1; Pastor de Ward, C.T2. 1 Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Boulevard Brown s/n (9120), Puerto Madryn, Argentina. 2 Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Boulevard Brown s/n (9120), Puerto Madryn, Argentina. Cosmasterias lurida (Philippi) has an extended distribution off the Patagonian Coast. It is a successful predator of Aulacomya atra atra and it is normally found on hard substrates (15 to 20 m depth). Monthly collection of 35 adults has been taken since October 2001. They were weighed and the radius (center of disc to the ray tip) measured. Gonads were dissected out and preserved for histological examination and calculation of the gonad and pyloric caeca index. Reproduction in C. lurida as in many populations of sea stars occurs only during a relatively brief period of the year. The demand of this highest reproductive activity period is so great that animals spend most of the year preparing for it, nutritionally and physiologically. Analyses to this date indicate that sexual maturity in C. lurida is in January (Summer) and that spawning starts in February and ends in April (Autumn). Body walls, gonads and pyloric caeca were dissected out and dried at 60ºC to determine lipid (by the gravimetric method of Bligh and Dyer, 1959) and protein (by the colorimetric modified method of Lowry et al., 1951). Analyses of lipid and protein content have been performed for each organ. Data will be presented for an annual cycle.