This study presents some phenological data of two common Mediterranean sponges belonging to the genus Oscarella (Porifera, Homoscleromorpha). Oscarella tuberculata and O. lobularis are two sibling species, dwellers of shallow benthic communities which tend to have distinct ecological behavior, respectively euryecious and rather stenoecious. The comparative study of their reproductive cycles showed that both Oscarella species have a seasonal reproductive cycle with a successive phase duration differing from one species to another. In both species, there is a continuous oogenesis, with new oocytes appearing in spring, whereas the spermatogenesis generally starts later with the early warming of the sea. The embryonic development and the larval release are restricted to the warmest months of the year. We also observed a shift in the period of gametogenesis and larval emission depending on species and differences in their sensitivity to changes in thermal regime. It appears that an increase in seawater temperature
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)423-438
JournalMarine Biology
Volume160
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013

    Research areas

  • Reproduction, Sex-ratio, Reproductive cycle, Phenology, Biodiversity, Sponges, Oscarella, Homoscleromorpha, Mediterranean

ID: 7368059