Reproduction of the sea urchin Arbacia dufresnii (Echinoidea: Arbaciidae) from Golfo Nuevo, Argentina

• Published in: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom Vol. 90; no. 7; pp. 1405 - 1409
• Main Authors: Brogger, M.I., Martinez, M.I., Penchaszadeh, P.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.11.2010
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Arbacia; Arbacia dufresnii; Arbaciidae; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Comparative studies; Echinodermata; Echinoidea; Eggs; Females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gonads; Histology; Invertebrates; Larval development; Males; Mammalia; Marine; Observatories; Patagonia; reproduction; Reproductive cycle; sea urchin; Sex discrimination; Spawning; Statistical analysis; Surface water; Vertebrata; Water temperature; South America; Argentina; America; United States > US; Atlantic Ocean; PSW, Argentina, Patagonia; spawning; sea urchin; Arbacia dufresnii; Patagonia; reproduction; Marine environment; Reproduction; Echinodermata; Spawning; Echinoidea; Invertebrata; Sea urchin
• ISSN: 0025-3154; 1469-7769
• DOI: 10.1017/S0025315410000445

Arbacia dufresnii is a common and abundant sea urchin in Argentinean waters. The gonad index cycle was studied for this species in Golfo Nuevo, Patagonia, from May 2001 to March 2003. Comparative studies of gonad index and gonad histology were performed for the three years of 2001, 2002 and 2003. The gonad index reflects gonadal stages, and the results showed two spawning peaks for the studied period. The first spawning event occurred during spring and a second major spawning occurred in summer. Proliferation and differentiation of gametes, and the presence of mature gonads were synchronous among males and females. Male and female individuals spawned synchronically. Gonad resorption was observed for males and females. Histological examination data reflected gonad index analysis, providing together a good estimation of the reproductive cycle of A. dufresnii. Statistical analyses showed a positive correlation between gonad index and photoperiod. The mean fresh oocyte diameter observed was 87.1 µm (SD = 1.3 µm) with a jelly coat of 12.7 µm (SD = 0.9 µm), which corresponds to planktotrophic larval development.