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Maternal control of resting-egg production in Daphnia
Many planktonic organisms produce ‘resting’ stages when the environmental conditions deteriorate. Like seeds, resting stages can survive unfavourable conditions. The crustacean Daphnia normally reproduces by means of parthenogenetically produced normal, not resting, eggs—but occasionally switches to...
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Published in: | Nature (London) 2001-12, Vol.414 (6866), p.899-901 |
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Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Many planktonic organisms produce ‘resting’ stages when the environmental conditions deteriorate. Like seeds, resting stages can survive unfavourable conditions. The crustacean
Daphnia
normally reproduces by means of parthenogenetically produced normal, not resting, eggs—but occasionally switches to bisexual reproduction, which results in two resting eggs encased in a robust structure carried on the back of the female. This ‘ephippium’ is shed with the next moult, and can survive dormant for many years. The induction of resting-egg production requires multiple environmental stimuli, one of them being photoperiod
1
,
2
. The switch from production of parthenogenetic eggs to resting eggs in
Daphnia
has recently been shown to be influenced by a maternal food effect
3
. Here we present evidence that female
Daphnia
transmit information not only about food but also on photoperiod to their offspring, and influence the production of resting eggs in the next generation. The combined maternal effects can be relevant for the correct timing of resting-egg production—for example, in discriminating between spring and autumn conditions. |
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ISSN: | 0028-0836 1476-4687 |
DOI: | 10.1038/414899a |