Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T17:46:41.189Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Phenotypic and genotypic spacing within an aggregation of the anemone, Actinia equina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2009

D. L. J. Quicke  and
R. C. Brace
D. L. J. Quicke
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD
R. C. Brace
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Enzyme and colour phenotypes were determined within a single mid-shore aggregation (n = 106) of the anemone, Actinia equina L. on the east coast of Britain. On the basis of allelic variation at four enzyme loci, a large number (n ≃ 30) of genotypes were distinguished of which only three consisted often or more anemones. Little evidence was found of obvious genotypic clustering, a result which was unexpected since this species broods young which are genetically identical with their parents, and which are potentially available for local (within site) colonization. We propose that the unexpectedly high level of genetic variability encountered at this site, can be explained by the following factors: (1) site and anemone longevities are probably measurable in tens of years, (2) distances travelled by anemones during their lifetime may be considerable, thus resulting in extensive inter-digitation of clones over time, and (3) the reproductive strategy of A. equina incorporates sexual reproduction with a planktonic dispersal phase.

Nearest-neighbour analyses applied to the distribution of phenotypes within this aggregation revealed several examples of auto-phenotypic under-dispersion. These results, together with (1) departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium at a hexokinase locus, (2) evidence of linkage disequilibrium between hexokinase and malate dehydrogenase alleles, and (3) linkage between alleles at both these loci with a colour phenotype (grey pedal disc), all indicate that the genetic composition of this group of anemones had been strongly influenced by founder effects followed by clonal reproduction.

A comparative analysis of the size distributions of the various phenotypes and genotypes yielded few conclusions relating either to colonization history or to differential selection; reasons are given to account for this failure.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 63 , Issue 3 , August 1983 , pp. 493 - 515
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Ayala, F. J. & Valentine, J. W., 1978. Genetic variation and resource stability in marine invertebrates. In Marine Organisms : Genetics, Ecology and Evolution (ed. Battaglia, B. and Beardmore, J. A.), pp. 23–51. Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Ayre, D. J., 1982. Inter-genotype aggression in the solitary sea anemone Actinia tenebrosa. Marine Biology, 68, 199–205.Google Scholar
Ballantine, W. J., 1961. A biologically-defined exposure scale for the comparative description of rocky shores. Field Studies, 1(3), 1–19.Google Scholar
Barlow, J. & Ridgeway, G. J., 1971. Polymorphisms of esterase isozymes in the American lobster (Homarus americanus). Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 28, 15–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Battaglia, B., Bisol, P. M. & Fava, G., 1978. Genetic variability in relation to the environment in some marine invertebrates. In Marine Organisms : Genetics, Ecology and Evolution (ed. Battaglia, B. and Beardmore, J. A.), pp. 53–70. Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Black, R. & Johnson, M. S., 1979. Asexual viviparity and population genetics of Actinia tenebrosa. Marine Biology, 53, 27–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brace, R. C., 1981. Intraspecific aggression in the colour morphs of the anemone Phymactis clematis from Chile. Marine Biology, 64, 85–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brace, R. C. & Pavey, J., 1978. Size-dependent dominance hierarchy in the anemone Actinia equina. Nature, London, 273, 752–753.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brace, R. C., Pavey, J. & Quicke, D. L. J., 1979. Intraspecific aggression in the colour morphs of the anemone Actinia equina: The ‘convention’ governing dominance ranking. Animal Behaviour, 27, 553–561.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brewer, G. J. & Sing, C. F., 1970. An Introduction to Isozyme Techniques. 186 pp. Academic Press.Google Scholar
Calow, P., 1977. Ecology, evolution and energetics: a study in metabolic adaptation. In Advances in Ecological Research, vol. 40 (ed. Macfayden, A.), pp. 1–62. Academic Press.Google Scholar
Carter, M. A. & Thorp, C. H., 1979. The reproduction of Actinia equina L. var. mesembryanthemum. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 59, 989–1001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carter, M. A. & Thorpe, J. P., 1981. Reproductive, genetic and ecological evidence that Actinia equina var. mesembryanthemum and var. fragacea are not conspecific. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 61, 79–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chia, F.-S. & Rostron, M. A., 1970. Some aspects of the reproductive biology of Actinia equina (Cnidaria: Anthozoa). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 50, 253–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, P. J. & Evans, F. C., 1954. Distance to nearest neighbour as a measure of spatial relationships in populations. Ecology, 35, 445–453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dalby, D. H., Cowell, E. B., Syratt, W. J. & Crothers, J. H., 1978. An exposure scale for marine shores in western Norway. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 58, 975–996.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Everitt, B. S., 1977. The Analysis of Contingency Tables. 128 pp. London: Chapman & Hall.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Francis, L., 1973 a. Clone specific segregation in the sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima. Biological Bulletin. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass., 144, 64–72.Google Scholar
Francis, L., 1973 b. Intraspecific aggression and its effect on the distribution of Anthopleura elegantissima and some related sea anemones. Biological Bulletin. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass., 144, 73–92.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Francis, L., 1976. Social organization within clones of the sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima. Biological Bulletin. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass., 150, 361–376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Francis, L., 1979. Contrast between solitary and clonal lifestyles in the sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima. American Zoologist, 19, 699–681.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gashout, S. E. & Ormond, R. F. G., 1979. Evidence for parthenogenetic reproduction in the sea anemone Actinia equina L. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 59, 975–987.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grassle, J. F. & Grassle, J. P., 1978. Life histories and genetic variation in marine invertebrates. In Marine Organisms: Genetics, Ecology and Evolution (ed. Battaglia, B. and Beardmore, J. A.), PP. 347–364. Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Hedrick, P. W., Ginevan, M. E. & Ewing, E. P., 1976. Genetic polymorphism in heterogeneous environments. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 7, 1–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, W. G., 1974. Estimation of linkage disequilibrium in randomly mating populations. Heredity, 33, 229–239.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoffmann, R. J., 1976. Genetics and asexual reproduction of the sea anemone Metridium senile. Biological Bulletin. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass., 151, 478–488.Google Scholar
Larkman, A. & Carter, M. A., 1980. The spermatozoon of Actinia eqina L. var. mesembryanthemum. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 60, 193–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lubbock, R., 1980. Clone-specific cellular recognition in a sea anemone. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 77, 6667–6669.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mather, K., 1973. Statistical Analysis in Biology, 5th edition. 267 pp. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd.Google Scholar
Mcleod, M. J., Hornbach, D. J., Guttman, S. I., Way, C. M. & Burky, A. J., 1981. Environmental heterogeneity, genetic polymorphism and reproductive strategies. American Naturalist, 118, 129–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meagher, T. R. & Burdick, D. S., 1980. The use of nearest neighbour frequency analyses in studies of association. Ecology, 61, 1253–1255.Google Scholar
Nevo, E., 1978. Genetic variation in natural populations of animals. Theoretical Population Biology, 13, 121–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Orr, J., Thorpe, J. P. & Carter, M. A., 1982. Biochemical and genetic confirmation of the asexual reproduction of brooded offspring in the sea anemone Acinia equina. Marine Ecology – Progress Series, 7, 227–229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ottaway, J. R., 1973. Some effects of temperature, desiccation and light on the intertidal anemone Actinia tenebrosa Farquhar (Cnidaria: Anthozoa). Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 24, 103–126.Google Scholar
Ottaway, J. R., 1978. Population ecology of the intertidal anemone Actinia tenebrosa. I. Pedal locomotion and intraspecific aggression. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 29, 787–802.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ottaway, J. R., 1979. Population ecology of the intertidal anemone Actinia tenebrosa. III. Dynamics and environmental factors. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 30, 41–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ottaway, J. R., 1980. Population ecology of the intertidal anemone Actinia tenbrosa. IV. Growth rates and longevities. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 31, 385–395.Google Scholar
Ottaway, J. R. & Kirby, G. C., 1975. Genetic relationships between brooding and brooded Actinia tenebrosa. Nature, London, 255, 221–223.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Polteva, D., 1963. Regeneration and somatic embryogenesis of Actinia equina in different stages of ontogenetic development. Acta biologica Academiae scientiarum hungaricae, 14, 199–208.Google ScholarPubMed
Ritte, U. & Pashtan, A., 1982. Extreme levels of genetic variability in two red sea Cerithium species (Gastropoda: Cerithidae). Evolution, 36, 403–407.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sebens, K. P., 1979. The energetics of asexual reproduction and colony formation in benthic marine invertebrates. American Zoologist, 19, 683–697.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Selander, R. K. & Kaufman, D. W., 1973. Genie variability and strategies of adaptation in animals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 70, 1875–1877.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shaw, C. R. & Prasad, R., 1970. Starch gel electrophoresis of enzymes — a compilation of recipes. Biochemical Genetics, 4, 297–320.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shick, J. M., Hoffman, R. J. & Lamb, A. N., 1979. Asexual reproduction, population structure and genotype — environment interactions in sea anemones. American Zoologist, 19, 699–713.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, M. J. D., 1977. Animal Cytology and Evolution, 3rd edition. 962 pp. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar