Polymorphism and Morphotype Transformations in the Rotifer(Brachionus calyciflorus)

The relationship of three Brachionus calyciflorus morphotypes （two short-spined, single-spined and spineless ones） was studied in the laboratory. Newly hatched females of each morphotype were cultured individually in an inorganic or Asplanchna-conditioned mediums, and the morphotype of their offspring were checked at 200 x magnification. Females of each morphotype, cultured in the inorganic medium, could produce offspring of these three morphotypes in a single generation. Females of all three morphotyes could respond to specific Asplanchna-substances when they were cultured in Asplanchna-conditioned medium. Moreover, we observed that these three morphotype females could coexist in the medium and had three types of egg-bearing females. Based on the above observations we suggest that B. calyciflorus was a morphotype complex and has three basic morphotypes.

Acute Toxicity of Two Pyrethroids Insecticides on Brachionus calyciflorus

[ Objective] The paper was to study the 24 and 48 h acute toxicity of common pyrethroid insecticides of eypermethrin and deltamethrin on Brachionus calyciflorus. [ Method ] With Guangzhou strain of B. colyciflorus as test animal, the standard toxicity test method was used to carry out acute toxicity test, and LC50 of cypermethrin and deltamethrin on rotifer was determined using probit method. [ Result ] LC50 of cypermethrin on rotifer was 3 376.87 and 5.87 μg/L at 24 and 48 h, respectively, and those of deltamethrin on rotifer was 594.56 and 74.17 μg/L, respectively. [Condusion] Acute toxicity of cypermethrin and dehamethrin on rotifer at 24 and 48 h was different, LC50 of cypermethrin and deltamethrin on rotifer at 48 h was more sensitive to monitor the chemical pollutants in water body than LC50 at 24 h.

Temperature Effect on the Life History of Three Types of Brachionus calyciflorus Females

The effect of temperature on the life history characteristics of amictic females (AF), unfertilized mictic females (UMF) and fertilized mictic females (FMF) in Brachionus calyciflorus was studied with replicated individual cultures at 20℃,25℃ and 30℃, and with algae Scenedesmus obliquus for their food. There were highly significant effects of both temperature and female type, independently and interactively, on the duration of juvenile and post-reproduction periods, and the number of eggs produced by the rotifer per life cycle. Among all the temperature-female type combinations, all the juvenile periods of FMF, and the post-reproduction periods of UMF and FMF at 20℃, were the longest, and the number of eggs produced by an UMF at 30℃ was the highest. There were highly significant effects of both temperature and female type on the duration of the reproduction period, but no clear correlation was observed between temperature and female type. The reproduction period of AF was longer than that of UMF and FMF. Only temperature influenced significantly the mean life-span of the three types of females. The duration of juvenile, reproduction and post-reproduction periods as well as the life-span of the three types of females were all reduced very significantly with rise of temperature, but the rates of reduction varied with female type. Among the three types of females, the number of eggs produced per life cycle by an UMF was the highest, and that of a FMF was the lowest. A significant relationship between the number of eggs produced per life cycle and temperature was observed only in the UMF.

Sexual reproduction and short-term fitness advantage in the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus:implications for the coexistence of sympatric clones

Large numbers of rotifer eggs from sediment resting egg banks may hatch simultaneously under appropriate conditions; therefore, natural populations are likely to be multiclonal in a growing season. A recent field investigation showed that subordinate and ephemeral clones were able to establish populations in an environment with several strongly dominant clone populations. However, it was not clear how the subordinate populations maintained their growth under these conditions where the crowding signal would induce high levels of sexual reproduction in the dominant clone populations. In the present study, we conducted a continuous passage to 60 generations for new populations at three different temperatures （15~C, 25~C, and 35~C）. These populations emerged from resting eggs produced by a clone population. At the first, 30th, and 60th generations, the populations were sampled and fitness was assayed using the life-table method. We found a significant short-term fitness advantage for populations newly emerged from resting eggs produced by a clone population of the rotifer Brachionus calycifiorus, followed by a significant decrease in relative fitness with long-term continuous passage. Our results suggested that the early short- term fitness advantage was important for later-hatched and subordinate clone populations in an environment with multiple sympatric clones. The early short-term fitness might also promote the coexistence of sympatric clones because it could help to offset the cost of early sexual reproduction.