Biochemical Genetic Confirmation of the Asexual Reproduction of Brooded Offspring in the Sea Anemone Actinia equine

Abstract

The reproductive blology of the beadlet anemone Actlnia equlna L has been a toplc of considerable research interest In recent years Several theories have been put forward to explain the origin of young anemones found brooded In the enteron of female, male and apparently asexual ~ n d l v ~ d u a l s , but to date, conclus~ve evidence has not been produced to substantiate any of these hypotheses In thls paper, evldence 1s presented-based on the results of an investigation of isozymes from adult A equlna and thelr broods-which demonstrates that the young are asexually produced The sea anemone Actinia equina L. is extremely comnlon on rocky shores throughout Europe (e. g. Stephenson, 1935; Manuel, 1981) As a result of its abundance and ecological importance the species has been extensively studied