Population structure, multiple paternity, and long-distance transport of spermatozoa in the freshwater mussel<i>Lampsilis cardium</i>(Bivalvia:Unionidae)

Ferguson, Chad David; Blum, Michael J.; Raymer, Michael L.; Eackles, Michael S.; Krane, Dan E.

doi:10.1899/12-028.1

Cited by 42 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…However, a biopsy is widely used as a technique for nondestructive tissue sampling of freshwater mussels (Berg et al., ; Elderkin et al., . ; Ferguson et al., ). It should be stressed that sampling top of foot of the mussels by biopsy or clipping is usual procedure adopted in numerous studies of genetic variability and physiology of mussels (Naimo et al., ; Geist and Kuehn, ; Geist et al., ; Mock et al., ), and using this methodology exclude the risk of accidental sampling gonad tissue.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-Associated Mitochondrial DNA Heteroplasmy in Somatic Tissues of the Endangered Freshwater MusselUnio crassus(Bivalvia: Unionidae): Implications for Sex Identification and Phylogeographical Studies

et al. 2016

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Some bivalve species possess two independent mitochondrial DNA lineages: maternally (F-type) and paternally (M-type) inherited. This phenomenon is called doubly uniparental inheritance. It is generally agreed that F-type mtDNA is typically present in female somatic and gonadal tissues as well as in male somatic tissues, whereas the M-type mtDNA occurs only in male germ line and gonadal tissue. In the present study, the mtDNA heteroplasmy (for both F and M genomes) in male somatic tissues of Unio crassus (Philipsson, 1788), species threatened with extinction, has been confirmed. Taking advantage from the presence of Mcox1 marker only in male somatic tissues, we developed a new method of sex identification in this endangered species, using nondestructive tissue sampling. Probability of correct sex identification was estimated at 97.5%. The present study is the first report on gender-associated mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy in male somatic tissues of thick-shelled river mussel and first approach to U. crassus sex identification at molecular level. Our study also confirmed the utility of paternally inherited Mcox1 gene fragment as a complementary molecular tool for resolving phylogeographical relationships among populations of thick-shelled river mussel.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-Associated Mitochondrial DNA Heteroplasmy in Somatic Tissues of the Endangered Freshwater MusselUnio crassus(Bivalvia: Unionidae): Implications for Sex Identification and Phylogeographical Studies

et al. 2016

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“…They use their foot to aggregate into a group of conspecifics after wide dispersion by the currents during the larval stage (Geesteranus 1942). Because mussels are well-mixed during their larval stage, relatedness between neighbouring individuals is, on average, equal to the relatedness between distant individuals within the same mussel bed (Ferguson et al 2013). When aggregated, mussels facilitate each other by attaching byssus threads (a glue-like substance made of protein strands, which are costly to produce; Eckroat and Steele 1993) to the shells of conspecifics that are within reach.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why mussels stick together: spatial self-organization affects the evolution of cooperation

2017

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Cooperation with neighbours may be crucial for the persistence of populations in stressful environments. Yet, cooperation is often not evolutionarily stable, since noncooperative individuals can reap the benefits of cooperation without having to pay the costs associated with cooperation. Here we show that active aggregation leading to self-organized spatial pattern formation can promote the evolution of cooperativeness. To this end, we study the effect of movement strategies on the evolution of cooperation in mussel beds. Mussels cooperate by attaching themselves to neighbours via byssal threads, thereby providing mutual protection. Using an individual-based model for mussel bed formation, we first demonstrate that the spatial pattern and the corresponding number of neighbours strongly depends on the movement strategies of the mussels. With an evolutionary model, we then show that this has important implications for the evolution of cooperation, since the evolved level of cooperativeness (the number of byssus threads produced) strongly depends on the number of neighbours and on the harshness and variability of the environment. Our results suggest that spatial aggregation, abundantly found in self-organized ecosystems, may promote the evolution of cooperation.

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“…We observed almost complete fertilisation failure in the 25 m/low male density treatments in the absence of competing females, but high fertilisation occurred in this treatment when upstream females were present. The latter result shows that a single male produces sufficient sperm to fertilise several females and, indeed, multiple paternity has been documented in mussels (Christian et al ., ; Ferguson et al ., ). The lower overall fertilisation in the absence of upstream females is perplexing, but this result should be viewed with caution because fertilisation probably has a large random component, especially at low density.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In a river, fertilisation success of Actinonaias ligamentina was independent of mussel density and >90% fertilisation occurred even at local densities <1 m −2 (Moles & Layzer, ). A microsatellite DNA study showed that broods of female Lampsilis cardium were fertilised by sperm from a number of males originating as far as 16 km upstream (Ferguson et al ., ). Even in headwater streams or other habitats with very low mussel density, high fertilisation success is often observed (Barnhart, ; Neves, ; Haag & Staton, ), and many mussel species rarely, if ever, occur at densities >10 m −2 even in healthy populations with vigorous recruitment (Neves, ; Haag, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Egg fertilisation in a freshwater mussel: effects of distance, flow and male density

Mosley

Haag²,

Stoeckel

2014

Freshwater Biology

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Summary Small or sparse populations can experience Allee effects if egg fertilisation is reduced because of a shortage of sperm. Freshwater mussels are spermcasters that often occur as sparse, patchy populations. Previous studies suggested that sperm shortage limits these populations unless facultative hermaphroditism and self‐fertilisation occur at low density. We conducted experiments in ponds to examine fertilisation in the mussel, Lampsilis straminea, in response to flow, presence of and distance from males, male density, and the presence of upstream females that could compete for sperm with downstream females. Self‐fertilisation in the absence of males did not occur in either experiment. Female fertilisation success was uniformly high in most treatments and was not related to flow or distance from males (1–25 m). Fertilisation success was significantly lower at low male density (0.02 m−2, compared with 0.16 m−2) but remained relatively high even in most low male density treatments. The proportion of females that became gravid was higher in the presence of upstream females, but fecundity was significantly lower when upstream females were present; these conflicting results made it difficult to assess the role of competition among females for sperm. Overall, high fertilisation success occurred at densities three orders of magnitude lower than previously proposed thresholds for mussels. Sperm dispersal and acquisition and egg fertilisation appear to be complex processes associated with adaptations for spermcasting. These adaptations are likely to facilitate persistence at low population density and buffer mussels from reproductive Allee effects.

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Population structure, multiple paternity, and long-distance transport of spermatozoa in the freshwater musselLampsilis cardium(Bivalvia:Unionidae)

Cited by 42 publications

References 74 publications

Gender-Associated Mitochondrial DNA Heteroplasmy in Somatic Tissues of the Endangered Freshwater MusselUnio crassus(Bivalvia: Unionidae): Implications for Sex Identification and Phylogeographical Studies

Gender-Associated Mitochondrial DNA Heteroplasmy in Somatic Tissues of the Endangered Freshwater MusselUnio crassus(Bivalvia: Unionidae): Implications for Sex Identification and Phylogeographical Studies

Why mussels stick together: spatial self-organization affects the evolution of cooperation

Egg fertilisation in a freshwater mussel: effects of distance, flow and male density

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