. The Biological bulletin. Biology; Zoology; Biology; Marine Biology. O N D J M A M J A S ONDJ FMAMJ A S FIGURE 9. Monthly changes in the maximal means of testes diameter of Xenia macrospiculata in 3-5 m (a) and in 27-30 m (b). female gonads develop along the mesenteries, originating from the endodermal tissue. While growing in size, they bulge into the syndetal part of the polyp cavity. The oocytes or the sperm sacs are attached to the mesenteries by short pedicels and surrounded by a ciliated endodermal layer. X. macrospiculata is a dioecious species like the majority of soft corals, althoug
. The Biological bulletin. Biology; Zoology; Biology; Marine Biology. O N D J M A M J A S ONDJ FMAMJ A S FIGURE 9. Monthly changes in the maximal means of testes diameter of Xenia macrospiculata in 3-5 m (a) and in 27-30 m (b). female gonads develop along the mesenteries, originating from the endodermal tissue. While growing in size, they bulge into the syndetal part of the polyp cavity. The oocytes or the sperm sacs are attached to the mesenteries by short pedicels and surrounded by a ciliated endodermal layer. X. macrospiculata is a dioecious species like the majority of soft corals, although it should be noted that among the xeniids, four species are hermaphroditic: H. elizabethae, H. fuscescens, H. ghardaqensis, and X. viridis (Ashworth, 1899; Gohar 1940a). The current study indicates the presence of male and female gonads in part of even the smallest colonies within the population (Fig. 4). Present knowledge lacks detailed information on the growth rate of X. macrospiculata. However, field exper- iments dealing with substrate colonization indicate that a linear relationship exists between colony size and age (Benayahu, 1982). The results of this study point out that colonies of about 1 cm3 are approximately 1-2 years old. The annual maturation of the gonads in the studied species lasts at least five months (Fig. 3). Therefore, it is unlikely that a one year old colony is sexually mature. Thus, we suggest that the smallest Xenia colonies capable of producing gonads are approximately 2 years old. Parerythropodium fulvum fulvum starts to reproduce at the age of 3-4 years (Benayahu. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole, Mass. ); Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole, Mass. ). Annual report 1907/08-1952; Lillie, Frank Rattray, 1870-1947; Moor
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