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A new quantitative analysis of ovarian development in echinoderms: the maturity stage index

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Abstract

This study developed an objective quantitative method for detecting small-scale temporal or spatial differences in gametogenesis in echinoderms. The method was applied to conventional monthly samples of the planktotrophic brittle star, Ophiopholis aculeata, collected at a single site in Newfoundland (eastern Canada) at 10–15 m depth. The samples were analysed to determine gonad index, oocyte size and gonadal stage using histology. The maturity stage index (MSI) was developed to integrate a measure of brittle star size (disc diameter), oocyte size and oocyte density. The MSIs ranged from 0 to 800 and had significantly different means among the four gametogenic stages (early growth, growth, mature and spent). The MSI was more sensitive in revealing significant differences between consecutive stages than any of its individual constituents. The MSI was also applied to gametogenic data from the lecithotrophic holothuroid, Mesothuria lactea, again revealing significant differences between successive oogenic stages. This method is expected to be useful in field and experimental studies of gametogenesis in echinoderms (and possibly other taxa), where it is important to detect not just the timing of annual peaks in reproduction but small differences in reproductive status among individuals or populations (e.g. from different habitats or feeding regimes).

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks to P. Gagnon for logistic support, guidance and valued help in the field, and to S. Caines, W. Coffey, R. Guest, R. Hooper, K. Matheson, R. O’Donnell, P. Sargent, and C. Vickers for assistance with field work and sample collection. Many thanks as well to OSC Laboratory Services, the MI Centre for Aquaculture and Development, J. Foote, N. Laite, C. Short, J. So and Z. Sun for technical and moral support and to S. Baillon for her work on M. lactea. This study was financially supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to A. Mercier. It was conducted in partial fulfilment of the MSc degree of G. Doyle, who wishes to thank examiners for helping to improve earlier versions of this manuscript. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ocean Sciences Centre (OSC), Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada

    Gina M. Doyle & Annie Mercier

  2. Society for the Exploration and Valuing of the Environment (SEVE), St. Philips, NL, A1M 2B7, Canada

    Jean-François Hamel

Authors
  1. Gina M. Doyle
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  2. Jean-François Hamel
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  3. Annie Mercier
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Correspondence to Annie Mercier.

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Communicated by J. P. Grassle.

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Doyle, G.M., Hamel, JF. & Mercier, A. A new quantitative analysis of ovarian development in echinoderms: the maturity stage index. Mar Biol 159, 455–465 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1823-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1823-3

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