PRELIMINARY STUDY ON
THE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF PEANUT
WORM IN LUNDU AND KUCHING DIVISION,
SARAWAK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
Introduction
Problem Statements
Objectives
Methodology
Results and Discussion
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
Sipuncula nudus
Big S. nudus
Small S. nudus
Antillesoma antillarium
PROBLEM STATEMENTS
OBJECTIVES
Methodology
U
23 DECEMBER 2014
21 FEBRUARY 2015
1 cm = 5 km
Hard Substrate
6
Figure 1: A map showing study sites located at Lundu and Kuching districts.
Laboratory Work
Natural Release of
Gametes
Dissection
Process
Induced Fertilisation
(By heat shock and pressure)
Stripping of
Gonads
Propagation of Mixed
Species of Microalgae
Male
Female
0%
A.antillarium
0%
Indeterminate
sexes
N/A
43.2%
56.8%present for
Sperm only
specific months in a year
and it is released into the
water column
16.7%
56.8% (Cutler,
1994).
8
Nephridia
Retractor Muscle
10
Gonad
Proper dissection is required
for proper identification in
A. antillarium
determining the anatomy of peanut worm (Schulze et al., 2009).
11
Eggs Morphology
Eggs of small S. nudus
-Pinkish-grey in colour
-Spherical in shape
- Big clusters
Eggs of A. antillarium
-Yellowish in colour
-Ovoid in shape
- Small clump
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13
Conclusion
The two important organs involved in the reproduction of peanut
worm are gonads and nephridia.
The eggs for small S. nudus are spherical in shape and pinkishgrey in colour whereas the eggs for A. antillarium are ovoid in
shape with yellowish colour.
No fertilisation was observed neither from the natural release of
the gametes nor the artificial fertilisation method.
Advance study and improved method need to be used in the
future.
15
References
Cutler, E. B. (1994) The Sipuncula: Their systematics, Biology and Evolution.
Cornell University Press. p. 1-310.
Rice M. E. (1994) Comparative Observations of Gametes, Fertilisation and
Maturation in Sipunculans, Smithsonian Marine Station.
Schulze A. & Rice M. E (2009) Nephasoma pellucidum: A Model Species for
Sipunculan Development, Smithsonian Marine Station, 223-232.
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Q&A
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