Ctenophores are direct developers that reproduce continuously beginning very early after hatching.

ABSTRACT: A substantial body of literature reports that ctenophores exhibit an apparently unique life history characterized by biphasic sexual reproduction, the first phase of which is called larval reproduction or dissogeny. Whether this strategy is plastically deployed or a typical part of these species’ life history was unknown. In contrast to previous reports, we show that the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi does not have separate phases of early and adult reproduction, regardless of the morphological transition to what has been considered the adult form. Rather, these ctenophores begin to reproduce at a small body size and spawn continuously from this point onward under adequate environmental conditions. They do not display a gap in productivity for metamorphosis or other physiological transition

SUBMITTER: Edgar A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9170174 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature