Is the Orton’s rule still valid? Tropical sponge fecundity, rather than periodicity, is modulated by temperature and other proximal cues

Anatomy and ultrastructure of the tropical sponge Cladocroce caelum (Haplosclerida, Demospongiae)

“…The spermatogenesis of C. caelum occurs, apparently, from the differentiation of the choanocyte chambers in spermatic cysts, that is, choanocytes become spermatozoa within the chamber they belong to. In 257 specimens analyzed between 2013 and 2015, spermatic cysts production was observed in only six specimens (i.e., it was present at low densities in the population level, 0.26%), but at high densities in these specimens (Lanna et al, ). Specimens engaged in the production of male gametes presented small and abundant spermatic cysts, scattered throughout the choanosome (Figure a,b).…”

“…For light microscopy, 10 fragments of different specimens of C. caelum, Santos, Da Silva, Alliz & Pinheiro, 2014 were collected randomly, monthly from June 2013 to July 2015, in 1–4 m depth, at Porto da Barra beach, Salvador, Brazil (13°00′12″ S; 38°31′58″ W). The fragments were fixed in 4% formalin in seawater at the beach, and, in the laboratory, they were transferred to new 4% formalin, for 24 h (Lanna et al, ). The samples were washed six times with filtered seawater and kept in 70% ethanol.…”

“…As it is a conspicuous species, we selected C. caelum as a model to carry out investigations through different perspectives aiming to better comprehend the biology and evolution of Porifera, including the aquiferous system organization. This species is gonochoristic, viviparous (incubating parenchymella larvae), and is reproductive year‐round in Salvador, but with a small percentage of specimens engaged in reproduction and with low fecundity (Lanna et al, ). However, little is known about the morphology (anatomy and ultrastructure) of this species, apart from a mention that it has a leuconoid aquiferous system conformation (Hajdu et al, ).…”

Comparative ultrastructure of the spermatogenesis of three species of Poecilosclerida (Porifera, Demospongiae)

“…Tedania ignis is a simultaneous hermaphrodite and its spermatogenesis occurs all year 160 round (Lanna et al 2018). Spermatic cysts were enveloped by a single layer of follicle cells 161 ( Fig.2a-b), were rounded, and measured ca.…”

“…Expanding the number of species from different lineages of Poecilosclerida will help to 94 understand the evolution of the group and also the usefulness of the ultrastructure of sperm cells 95 to comprehend the phylogenetic relationship within this lineage of sponges. Therefore, in the 96 present study, we compared the ultrastructure of the spermatogenesis of three species distantly 97 processed for standard histology, as described in Lanna et al (2018). For transmissionelectron 114 microscopy (TEM), fragments were fixed (for at least 24 h at 4 ºC) in a solution of 25% 115 glutaraldehyde, 0.2 M of sodium cacodylate (pH 7.0) and filtered seawater (1:4:5) or fixed in a 116 solution of 25% glutaraldehyde, 0.4M PBS and 0.34M NaCl (1:4:5).For scanning electron 117 microscopy (SEM), fixed fragments were further rinsed with filtered seawater, dehydrated 118 through a graded ethanol series, fractured in liquid nitrogen, thawed in 100% ethanol at ambient 119 temperature and dried by the critical point method from carbon dioxide before being mounted 120 onaluminum stubs, coated with gold using a sputter coater and observed with a JEOL (JSM-121 6390LV)scanning electron microscope at 12 kV.…”