Comparison of larval development and growth of the sea cucumberActinopyga echinites: Ovary-induced ova and DTT-induced ova

AdultActinopyga echinites (Jaeger) were collected from northern Taiwan in September 1989. Oocytes were induced to mature by bathing them in ovary juice (ovary-induced ova) or in 10^–2 M dithiothreitol (DTT-induced ova). The percentage of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) increased from 0.4 to 6.4% in the former treatment and to 84% in the latter. After artificial fertilization, the embryos were cultured in seawater (35 S) at 25 to 28°C. Larvae were fed with the algaIsochysis aff.galbana at 10^4–5 cells/ml. Larvae from ovary-induced ova developed faster (18 d to the doliolaria stage) and grew to a larger size (1.13 mm length) than those from DTT-induced ova (20 d to the doliolaria stage and 0.62 mm in length). On the twelfth day, larvae from ovary-induced ova bear lipid spheres. The number of spheres is positively correlated with larval size. Lipid spheres may provide nutrient reserves for larvae during metamorphosis.