Abstract
Aplysia are found along the Mediterranean shores of Israel for 8 months of the year, from February through September. Two species are commonly present: A depilans Gmelin and A. fasciata Poiret. The presence of the animals is determined by the length of time in which the new individuals are recruited and the life span of the animals. A. depilans seem to metamorphose and enter the population only in the early part of the season; by contrast, A. fasciata metamorphose throughout most of it. Initiation of the season may be due to an increased growth of the green algae Ulva lactuca (L.), which probably induces metamorphosis. The life span of individuals of both species is shorter than the length of the entire season. The season ends by natural aging and death of animals, coupled with a decrease in abundance of Ulva, preventing recruitment of new individuals. Rate of maturation seems to be higher in animals recruited late in the season than in animals that metamorphose earlier.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 67-83 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology |
| Volume | 74 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 5 Jan 1984 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We would like to thank Aviva Wortzlavskyf or help with sectioninga nd staining, Sylvia Markovich, and many other colleaguesw ho assistedin collectiono f material and preparationo f manuscriptT. his work was supportedb y the United States-Israel BinationalS cienceF oundationg rantn o. 2210.