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Reproductive traits explain contrasting ecological features in sponges: the sympatric poecilosclerids Hemimycale columella and Crella elegans as examples

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Abstract

Our study focused on the Mediterranean species Hemimycale columella and Crella elegans, which have overlapping ecological distributions but contrasting population densities and resilience. We formulated the hypothesis that differential reproductive traits were the main cause underlying these ecological differences in the study area. The issues addressed were whether recruits compete for the substrate, either because their respective reproductive cycles overlap or/and larval performance differs between species, and whether a contrasting investment in reproduction contributed to explain their diverse densities. Both species were simultaneous hermaphrodites and incubated their larvae. The reproductive period was notably shorter in C. elegans than in H. columella, while investment in reproductive tissue was higher in individuals of H. columella than in C. elegans. In contrast, C. elegans larvae harbored larger amounts of lipids and yolk inclusions than H. columella larvae. Moreover, the former contained amazing collagen masses densely packed among their inner cells. H. columella is likely to produce a higher number of poorer equipped larvae while C. elegans seems to produce a lower number of more resistant, better fitted with energy reserves, and thus potentially more successful larvae. These reproductive patterns agree with a higher and stable density of C. elegans in the study site compared with a more variable abundance of H. columella.

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Acknowledgments

We thank A. García and N. Cortadellas, from the Serveis científico-técnics, Universitat de Barcelona, for sample processing and assistance with electron microscopy, and A. Blanquer, S.de Caralt, E. Serrano, L. Navarro and A. Garí for help with fieldwork. We especially thank G. Giribet and A. Riesgo and two anonymous reviewers for their truly helpful comments on the manuscript. This study has been funded by CTM2007-66635-C02-01 and CTM2010-22218-C02-01 projects (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation) to MJU and a project-associated fellowship (FPI) to ARP-P.

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  1. A.-R. Pérez-Porro

    Present address: Department of Organism & Evolutionary Biology, Museum Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, 17300, Girona, Spain

    A.-R. Pérez-Porro, J. González & M. J. Uriz

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  1. A.-R. Pérez-Porro
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  2. J. González
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  3. M. J. Uriz
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Correspondence to A.-R. Pérez-Porro.

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Guest editors: M. Maldonado, X. Turon, M. A. Becerro & M. J. Uriz / Ancient animals, new challenges: developments in sponge research

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Pérez-Porro, AR., González, J. & Uriz, M.J. Reproductive traits explain contrasting ecological features in sponges: the sympatric poecilosclerids Hemimycale columella and Crella elegans as examples. Hydrobiologia 687, 315–330 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0919-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0919-6

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