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Integrating field and laboratory evidence for environmental sex determination in the amphipod, Echinogammarus marinus

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Abstract

The causes of sex determination in amphipods are believed to be multi-factorial. Sex determination in Echinogammarus marinus (Leach, 1815) has been reported to be linked with feminising parasites. To date, however, no such studies have linked this species with environmental sex determination (ESD). A field study and laboratory breeding experiments were conducted to determine the influence of photoperiod on sex determination. Over the two-year field study, males dominated during August to November, whilst female-biased populations were observed during April to July. A significant linear relationship was observed between photoperiods and sex ratios from the field data. Under laboratory conditions, photoperiod was also shown to be an influential factor in sex determination, with a male bias over a long-day photo regime (61.5 % male broods) and a female biased over a short-day photoperiod regime (43.5 % male broods). Findings suggest that there is some level of ESD present within the species, suggesting considerable plasticity in the sex differentiation pathway.

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Acknowledgments

YG and SS are supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (UK) grant (NE/G004587/1) awarded to PK and ATF. We are appreciative to Amaia Etxabe Green and Joanna Murry for their assistance with field work and figure preparation, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO4 9LY, UK

    Yasmin Guler, Stephen Short & Alex T. Ford

  2. Cardiff School of Biosciences, Biological Sciences Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK

    Peter Kile

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  1. Yasmin Guler
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  2. Stephen Short
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  3. Peter Kile
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  4. Alex T. Ford
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Correspondence to Alex T. Ford.

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Communicated by S. A. Poulet.

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Guler, Y., Short, S., Kile, P. et al. Integrating field and laboratory evidence for environmental sex determination in the amphipod, Echinogammarus marinus . Mar Biol 159, 2885–2890 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-2042-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-2042-2

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