Feeding behavior in Aiptasia tagetes (Duchassaing and Michelotti) planulae: A plausible mechanism for zooxanthellae infection of aposymbiotic planktotrophic planulae

Abstract

The common West Indian sea anemone, Aiptasia tagetes (Duchassaing and Michelotti), is a natural host for the symbiotic dinoflagellate, Symbiodinium sp., in which direct transmission of zooxanthellae from the host to the eggs does not occur. Under normal ambient conditions A. tagetes was found to be dioecious and oviparous. Feeding experiments on the ovoid ciliated planulae of A. tagetes were conducted. Planulae readily ingested Uca sp. claw meat, Artemia sp. flakes and zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae originating from egested balls of zooxanthellae from the host, from freshly isolated cells of the host, as well as those naturally occurring in the seawater system were all accumulated by the planulae. Planulae were maintained for a maximum of 35 days (longest to survive) in culture and zooxanthellae were retained by the planulae for the entire period. It is unknown whether the planulae became infected by the zooxanthellae.