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- Title
Is it sex in chains? Potential mating stacks in deep-sea hydrothermal vent snails.
- Authors
CHONG CHEN; MARSH, LEIGH; COPLEY, JONATHAN T.
- Abstract
"Mating stacks" have been widely documented in calyptraeid slipper limpets, which are protandric and exhibit sequential hermaphroditism. Gigantopelta is a genus of peltospirid snails endemic to deep-sea hydrothermal vents containing two species, one distributed on the East Scotia Ridge in the Southern Ocean and another on the Southwest Indian Ridge in the Indian Ocean. Here, we report the observation that both species form extensive (often >15 individuals) "snail chains". These chains are potentially analogous to 'mating stacks' of calyptraeids, or alternatively, maybe a behaviour to facilitate spermatophore transfer. Both Gigantopelta species apparently have separate sexes and are sexually mature at a small size. However, it remains unclear whether they undergo sex change during their life.
- Subjects
SNAILS; HYDROTHERMAL vent animals; MARINE ecology; MARINE animals; MARINE organism reproduction
- Publication
Plankton & Benthos Research, 2018, Vol 13, Issue 1, p25
- ISSN
1880-8247
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3800/pbr.13.25