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Transgenerational and within-generational induction of defensive morphology in Brachionus calyciflorus (Rotifera): importance of maternal effect

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Abstract

Maternal effects on the induction of defensive morphology are regarded as an adaptive strategy. For instance, a female can transmit environmental conditions related to predation risk to offspring of the same generation or succeeding generations. However, studies have presented limited information regarding such an adaptive maternal effect on monogonont rotifers. In the present study, the maternal effects on the spine development of rotifers were evaluated using Brachionus calyciflorus-Asplanchna models. Asplanchna can release soluble kairomones into the environments, thereby inducing B. calyciflorus to form defensive morphs (e.g., elongated posterolateral spines). Our empirical data supported the hypothesis that an amictic Brachionus-experienced Asplanchna kairomones could produce offspring with longer posterolateral spine in the current or succeeding generation than those of a non-experienced amictic female. On the basis of our data, we speculated that the maternal effect of B. calyciflorus may involve the transfer and dilution of inducers (e.g., hormone) within and between generations. On one hand, our results reinforced the within-generation maternal effects on induction of defensive morphology of rotifers; on the other hand, our results enhanced transgenerational inducible defense to other planktonic taxa that have been only observed in cladocera.

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Acknowledgments

We thank two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments that improve our manuscript greatly. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31000218; 51079123; 41206110), the Program for Liaoning Excellent Talents in University (LJQ2011079), and the Natural Science Foundation of Dalian (2012J21DW013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Hydrobiology, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China

    Xu Wang Yin, Nai Xi Zhao, Bo Han Wang, Wen Jie Li & Zheng Nan Zhang

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  1. Xu Wang Yin
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  2. Nai Xi Zhao
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Correspondence to Xu Wang Yin.

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Handling editor: Piet Spaak

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Yin, X.W., Zhao, N.X., Wang, B.H. et al. Transgenerational and within-generational induction of defensive morphology in Brachionus calyciflorus (Rotifera): importance of maternal effect. Hydrobiologia 742, 313–325 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-014-1995-1

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