Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 20 July 1979:
Vol. 205. no. 4403, pp. 302 - 303
DOI: 10.1126/science.205.4403.302
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Sperm in "Parhenogenetic" Freshwater Gastrotrichs

MITCHELL J. WEISS 1 and DENNIS P. LEVY 1

1 Department of Biology, Livingston College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903

Freshwater members of the phylum Gastrotricha have been considered obligate parthenogens. In Lepidodermelia squammata, the species for which there is most evidence for parthenogenesis, sperm have been discovered. This finding will necessitate reexamination of the nature of sexuality and life cycles and of the concept of "species" in freshwater gastrotrichs.

Submitted on October 26, 1978
Revised on April 18, 1979


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Two Dimensions of Biodiversity Research Exemplified by Nematomorpha and Gastrotricha.
A. Schmidt-Rhaesa (2002)
Integr. Comp. Biol. 42, 633-640
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)