Brief Summary
Physical Description
External Features
Internal Features
Slides Preparation
Ecology
Life History & Behaviour
Feeding Mechanisms
Respiration
Internal Transport & Movement
Asexual Reproduction
Sexual Reproduction
Anatomy & Physiology
Evolution & Systematics
Biogeographic Distribution
Biofouling Threats
References & Links | Sexual Reproduction
As with all other Botryllus species, B. tuberatus undergo sexual reproduction in late spring to early summer. They are hermaphroditic and typically cross-fertilize (Ruppert, Fox & Barnes 2004). The colonies reach sexual maturity in 1-2 month's time (Abbott & Newberry 1980). Testes have not been observed in this species, potentially due to the minimal data collected worldwide. Eggs, on the other hand, are present on each side of the body as part of the test-vessel system (Abbott & Newberry 1980; Kott 1985). Fertilized eggs are brooded and retained in the zooid until the larvae are ready to swim. Then, they would be released together with the continual flow of water through the excurrent aperture and cloacal aperture (Abbott & Newberry 1980). Since B. tuberatus are sessile marine organisms, this constitutes the dispersal phase for the organism as the larvae are free-swimming (Pennati et al. 2009). The young larvae has adhesive papillae on its anterior end used in sensing the environment for suitable substrate to settle on (Pennati et al. 2009).
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