Sperm chemotaxis in the hydromedusae. II. Some chemical properties of the sperm attractants

Gel filtration on highly cross-linked molecular sieves of the sperm attractants of some hydromedusae revealed that the active agents differ in their molecular weights. These differences fall roughly along taxonomic lines, at least at the order level. Anthomedusae have attractants with molecular weights greater than 5,000, while the Leptomedusae attractants have weights less than 1,000. The Limnomedusae and Trachymedusae attractants have weights above 5,000. All the attractants are heat-stable, but only those of the Leptomedusae can pass across a dialysis membrane with a molecular weight cut-off of 14,000.