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INTRASEXUAL AGGRESSION IN METRIDIUM SENILE.

Saul W Kaplan

    The Biological Bulletin
    |April 4, 2017
    PubMed
    Summary

    Aggression in the sea anemone Metridium senile is sex-specific, with same-sex individuals fighting and opposite-sex individuals coexisting. This intrasexual aggression may enhance sexual reproduction success.

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    Area of Science:

    • Marine Biology
    • Animal Behavior
    • Reproductive Biology

    Background:

    • The sea anemone Metridium senile exhibits both sexual and asexual reproduction.
    • Asexual reproduction produces genetically identical clones, which can form large aggregations.
    • Aggression between clones is often mediated by specialized tentacles called catch tentacles.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the role of catch tentacles in interclonal aggression.
    • To determine the factors mediating aggression between non-clonemates in Metridium senile.
    • To understand the relationship between aggression and reproductive strategies in this species.

    Main Methods:

    • Laboratory experiments involving pairings of non-clonemates.
    • Field observations of anemone interactions and movements.
    • Analysis of the role of catch tentacles in aggressive encounters.

    Main Results:

    • Catch tentacles do not exclusively maintain clonal segregation or act as aggressive appendages against all non-clonemates.
    • Interclonal aggression is mediated by sex; individuals only display aggression towards same-sex non-clonemates.
    • Opposite-sex individuals exhibit nonaggressive interactions, with or without catch tentacle use.

    Conclusions:

    • Aggression in Metridium senile is intrasexual, not solely interclonal.
    • This sex-specific aggression may function to increase fertilization probability during sexual reproduction.
    • Understanding these interactions provides insights into the behavioral ecology and reproductive strategies of sea anemones.

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