BIOTIC Species Information for Virgularia mirabilis
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| Researched by | Jacqueline Hill & Emily Wilson |
Data supplied by | MarLIN |
| Refereed by | This information is not refereed. |
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| Reproduction/Life History |
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| Reproductive type | Gonochoristic
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Developmental mechanism | Lecithotrophic
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| Reproductive Season | June to October |
Reproductive Location | Water column |
| Reproductive frequency | Annual episodic |
Regeneration potential |
No |
| Life span | See additional information |
Age at reproductive maturity | Insufficient information |
| Generation time | Insufficient information |
Fecundity | Insufficient information |
| Egg/propagule size | Insufficient information |
Fertilization type | External |
| Larvae/Juveniles |
| Larval/Juvenile dispersal potential | >10km |
Larval settlement period | Insufficinet information |
| Duration of larval stage | 2-10 days |
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| Reproduction Preferences Additional Information | - The sexes are separate in sea pens. Each colony of polyps is either male or female.
- There is very little information on population structure or life cycles in any of the British sea pens, but the limited data available from other species would lead one to predict a similar pattern of patchy recruitment, slow growth and long life-span (Hughes, 1998(b)).
- In other species of sea pen the eggs and sperm are released from the polyps and fertilization takes place externally. The sea pen Ptilosarcus guerneyi spawns in late March, with up to 200,000 eggs produced per female colony. Chia & Crawford, (1973) found free-swimming larvae of this species did not feed, suggesting a lecithotrophic larvae, and settled within seven days if a suitable substratum was encountered. Birkeland, (1974) found the life span of Ptilosarcus guerneyi to be up to 15 years, taking 5 or 6 years to reach sexual maturity.
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| Reproduction References |
Hughes, 1998(b), Birkeland, 1974, Chia & Crawford, 1973, |
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