Thomas M. Iliffe and John S. Pearse. 1982. Annual and lunar
reproductive rhythms of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum (Philippi) at Bermuda.
International Journal of Invertebrate Reproduction, 5:139-148.
In the tropical Atlantic echinoid, Diadema antillarum
in Bermuda, the gonads grow mainly in spring when sea temperatures are
increasing, and spawning occurs from early summer to early winter. Peak
spawning appeared to be in early summer and late fall. Gametogenesis is
closely synchronized among different individuals and there is a well-defined
lunar rhythm. Oocytes grow mainly between the first and third lunar
quarters, and the animals spawn near the time of the new moon. Lunar
synchrony, couples with a spawning pheromone, may serve to maximize success of
fertilization, while the restricted annual reproduction may maximize larval
survival.
Thomas M. Iliffe, Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at
Galveston, P.O. Box 1675, Galveston, Texas 77553, USA.
E-mail:
iliffet@tamug.edu
Keywords: Bermuda; lunar reproductive rhythms; sea urchin; Diadema.
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