This is the entity page showing aggregated messages and images for the named entity.
Rene Ong Flatworms penis-fencing. Possibly
Pseudoceros indicus. From Singapore. Is there anyone studying/ looking at Pseudoceros sp reproduction/ mating process???
Lindz Warren You might like to take a look at this website which has lots of information and ids of marine flatworms. Yes, studies on reproduction has been carried out and probably still is. :-)
Lindz Warren http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~bu6/flatintr.htm
×—×™×ž× ×” ול×סקז Hi, yes there are some studies regard to mating in polyclads, not only with the genus pseudoceros, I did a research on reproductive behavior on polyclads from the Caribbean. The family Pseudocerotidae present hypodermic insemination like most of the cotyleans. the most representative research on mating on polyclads is: Michiels N.K. & Newman L.J. (1998) Sex and Violence in Hermaphrodites. Nature, 391:647. you also can read this web, it is a nice abstract about reproductive behavior on polyclads and also you can find the reference of more studies. http://academic.reed.edu/biology/professors/srenn/pages/teaching/web_2010/AmeliaMegana2/mechanism.html
Rene Ong Thank you very much for the info. Do you happen to know how long, after successful inseminations, would it lay eggs? Or perhaps there must be presence of food source before they would do so?
×—×™×ž× ×” ול×סקז Those 2 articles are going to help you and give you some idea, I consider how long after the insemination the worm will lay eggs depend of the species and the type of the insemination. you can try to observe whether the presence or absence of food is a factor. it will be interesting. I have had worms in starvation and they have laid eggs. RAWLINSON, K., BOLAÑOS, M., LIANA, M. Y LITVAITIS, M. 2008. Reproduction, development and parental care in two direct-developing flatworms (Platyhelminthes: Polycladida: Acotylea). J. Nat. Hist., 42(33-34): 2173-2192. Newman, L.J., Norenburg, J.L. & Reed, S (2000) Taxonomic and Biological observation on the tiger Flatwo
rm Maritigrella crozieri, (Hyman, 1939) new combination Platyhelminthes, Polycladida, Euryleptidae) J. Nat. Hist., 34: 799-808.
Rene Ong Thank you very much! Will try find the papers. Yes, am observing if absence of food is a factor. The pair had 'mated' almost everyday for a whole week! But yet no eggs laid. I don't have any food for them, so they are starving by now I guess...
×—×™×ž× ×” ול×סקז I can send you the articles if you want, send me you mail. have you observed they have reciprocal insemination? the hypodermic insemination tend to be reciprocal in polyclads, I observed it in my research and also in other studies was observed, both flatworms stab their penis through the epidermis of the other, although sometimes only one. in addition, it is observed sperm stains on the dorsal surfaces of both worms. have you had the worms all the time together? I recommend you that after you observed they mated several times, put each worm separated and observe if both worms lay eggs or only one. it will be interesting. After you get eggs you can observe their development. they would present an indirect development involving a Muller larva like all of the Cotyleas.
Rene Ong Yes, they have reciprocal insemination. It's interesting how the one who failed to stab the other would continue to try until it finally succeed. So both will always end up having that an obvious white bump which will disappear the next day. I only have them together for a week, and seeing no eggs laid, I decided to separate them to see who will laid eggs. Been a couple of days, but nothing. In fact they hardly moves. I have a video of them in action. Will upload shortly.
×—×™×ž× ×” ול×סקז ok, nice video, I am pretty sure both or one will lay eggs soon, good luck :).
Rene Ong Thank you. Still no eggs till now. They still hardly moves. Having kept them for more than a week, I am concerned they may just start disintegrating. So far the longest I managed to keep them alive is about two weeks. Btw, I've left you a message with my email address. I can't find the Newman's paper.
×—×™×ž× ×” ול×סקז You should change the water 2 times at day, it can help you to keep them alive more time. I used to do it and I could keep them several weeks in the lab. I did not find your mail, please send me it again and I will send you the article.
Rene Ong Thanks! I've resend you a private message. It said it will be sent to you "other folder". I change the water daily...
