Pedal laceration by the anemone Aiptasia pallida

Abstract

The significance of zooxanthellae and feeding regime on pedal laceration by the anemone Aiptasia pallida Verrill was studied in the laboratory by maintaining symbiotic and aposymbiotic individuals at varying feeding regimes. Pedal laceration was inversely related to feeding frequency and the presence of zooxanthellae increased pedal laceration rate of starved individuals. Lacerates produced by symbiotic individuals had a significantly greater dry weight than lacerates produced by aposymbionts. This difference can largely be explained by the presence of zooxanthellae in symbiotic lacerates which comprised 55-60% of lacerate dry weight. Development time and survival of lacerates to juvenile anemones was not significantly different for symbiotic and aposymbiotic lacerates and lacerate dry weight did not change significantly during development. These results suggest that zooxanthellae had little effect on lacerate development but enhanced pedal laceration rate during starvation.