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Salinity dependence of sexual and asexual reproduction in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis

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Abstract

A salinity dependent mictic response was observed in a clone of Brachionus plicatilis cultured in the 2 to 4‰ salinity range. This response was related to asexual exponential reproduction rates (G) and could be divided into three categories: (a) no mixis occurred at a salinity of 35‰ S and above, where G values were lower than 0.30 d-1, (b) low mictic levels in rotifers cultured at 2 and 30‰ S, where G values ranged between 0.40 to 0.50 d-1, and (c) high mictic levels in rotifers cultured at salinities ranging between 4 and 20‰ S, where G values ranged between 0.50 to 0.85 d-1. Fluctuations in mictic levels varied with time during the course of the experiments. Results suggest that salinity conditions leading to optimal parthenogenic reproduction also support mixis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Technion, Haifa, Israel

    E. Lubzens

  2. Department of Marine Biology, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, Haifa, Israel

    E. Lubzens, G. Minkoff & S. Marom

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  1. E. Lubzens
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  2. G. Minkoff
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  3. S. Marom
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Communicated by O. Kinne, Oldendorf/Luhe

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Lubzens, E., Minkoff, G. & Marom, S. Salinity dependence of sexual and asexual reproduction in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis . Mar. Biol. 85, 123–126 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00397430

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00397430

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