Evolution of Brooding in Sea Anemones: Patterns, Structures, and Taxonomy

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Larson, Paul G.
Language:English
Published: The Ohio State University / OhioLINK 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1448278385
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spelling ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-osu14482783852021-08-03T06:33:56Z Evolution of Brooding in Sea Anemones: Patterns, Structures, and Taxonomy Larson, Paul G. Evolution and Development Biology Evolution Brooding phylogenetics taxonomy sea anemone invertebrate marine Brooding is an unusual reproductive behavior among Actiniarians (sea anemones). Sea anemones commonly free-spawn gametes producing pelagic offspring that develop independently. In brooding, offspring are retained until the juveniles or adult stage. Brooding behaviors are diverse among sea anemones but some of this diversity is obscured by imprecise or inconsistent terminology. Brooding is taxonomically widespread, but most brooding species are found within Actiniidae. The actiniid genus Epiactis is particularly notable for its wide geographic distribution and diversity in characters associated with reproduction. Individuals of the Antarctic, hermaphroditic species E. georgiana brood offspring on the surface of the adult, whereas anemones in the gonochoric north Pacific species, E. handi, hold offspring within the gastrovascular cavity. Additional Epiactis species have been described from the Arctic and Atlantic oceans and include species which aren’t known to brood. This variation provides an unusual opportunity to investigate the evolutionary patterns in reproductive characters and ramifications of brooding modes, but also calls into question the monophyly of the genus. This uncertainty is manifested in the literature through taxonomic actions including the creation of Cnidopus for several Epiactis species and in dispute regarding the specific identity of certain Epiactis specimens. Here I employ morphological and molecular techniques to investigate taxonomic and systematic questions about the genus Epiactis, and to investigate patterns in the evolution of brooding in sea anemones. I address taxonomic issues by employing anatomical methods such as histological sectioning, tissue squash preparations and dissection. I make extensive use of museum materials and examine type specimens and other museum lots of the focal species, and collect new specimens from across the known range in order to identify geographic and taxonomic boundaries. I use DNA sequence data to assess relationships among species and investigate the evolutionary patterns in brooding modes and and other reproductive characteristics. Chapter 1 introduces the group and biological phenomena of interest. In chapter 2 the phenomenon of brooding is reviewed broadly across Actiniaria. Terminology used in discussion of brooding is defined. Epiactis fecunda is treated in chapter 3 and is reassigned to the genus Urtcina based on morphological examination of new specimens. In chapter 4, new collections and museum specimens determined to be Epiactis ritteri and Epiactis japonica are examined. Their specific destinctness is justified with morphological characters, as is the distinctness of the internally brooding individuals from lower latitudes previously identified as E. ritteri. The latter individuals are renamed Epiactis handi. The final chapter reports on phylogenetic analyses of Epiactis species and other actiniids based on nucleotide sequence data. In it, Epiactis is revealed to be a polyphyletic group in which North Pacific species and Southern hemisphere species form separate clusters, both with internal and externally brooding representatives. In the North Pacific, externaly brooding species have evolved from internally brooding ancestors. 2015 English text The Ohio State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1448278385 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1448278385 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.
collection NDLTD
language English
sources NDLTD
topic Evolution and Development
Biology
Evolution
Brooding
phylogenetics
taxonomy
sea anemone
invertebrate
marine

spellingShingle Evolution and Development
Biology
Evolution
Brooding
phylogenetics
taxonomy
sea anemone
invertebrate
marine

Larson, Paul G.
Evolution of Brooding in Sea Anemones: Patterns, Structures, and Taxonomy
author Larson, Paul G.
author_facet Larson, Paul G.
author_sort Larson, Paul G.
title Evolution of Brooding in Sea Anemones: Patterns, Structures, and Taxonomy
title_short Evolution of Brooding in Sea Anemones: Patterns, Structures, and Taxonomy
title_full Evolution of Brooding in Sea Anemones: Patterns, Structures, and Taxonomy
title_fullStr Evolution of Brooding in Sea Anemones: Patterns, Structures, and Taxonomy
title_full_unstemmed Evolution of Brooding in Sea Anemones: Patterns, Structures, and Taxonomy
title_sort evolution of brooding in sea anemones: patterns, structures, and taxonomy
publisher The Ohio State University / OhioLINK
publishDate 2015
url http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1448278385
work_keys_str_mv AT larsonpaulg evolutionofbroodinginseaanemonespatternsstructuresandtaxonomy
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