Summary
During June and July oocytes appear in well-developed specimens of Spongilla lacustris. These differentiate from archeocytes, and during the first growth phase they reach a diameter of ca. 50 μm. At this time each oocyte is enclosed in a single-layered follicle epithelium, which is retained until emergence of the larva.
In the second phase the oocytes grow to about 220 μm by phagocytosis of trophocytes. When phagocytosis has come to an end, there is a distinct layering of the yolk material that has formed within the cytoplasm of the oocyte. Small yolk granules surround the centrally located nucleus, and peripheral to these is a layer of larger spheres of yolk.
Cleavage is totally equal to unequal. Some blastomeres are binucleate. In the 15-cell staged micro- and macromeres appear.
The embryo consists of uniform cells with high yolk content; at the periphery they are slightly flattened rather than spherical. In this stage of development the first scleroblasts appear.
Further development to the young larva is marked by the appearance of a cavity (the larval cavity) lined with pinacocytes. The cavity expands to occupy about half the volume of the larva at emergence, becoming hemispheric in shape. The cells at the periphery of the larva form a columnar, single-layered, multiseriate ciliated epithelium with teardrop-shaped nuclei.
The emerging larva breaks through its follicle and the wall of the excurrent canal system; occasionally larvae can be found in the canals. At this time the larva has developed a few flagellated chambers, which may already be integrated into the primordia of the excurrent canal system. The previously discernible scleroblasts have now formed isolated spicules, which may adhere to form spicule-spongin complexes.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bergquist PR (1978) Sponges. Univ. Calif. Press, Los Angeles, pp 1–268
Brien P, Meewis H (1938) Contribution à l'étude de l'embryogénèse des Spongillidae. Arch Biol 49:177–250
Fiedler K (1888) Über Ei- und Samenbildung bei Spongilla fluviatilis. Z. Wiss Zool Abt A 47:85–127
Gallissian MF (1980) Étude ultrastructurale de la fécondation chez Grantia compressa F. Int J Invertebrate Reprod 2:321–329
Gilbert JJ, Simpson TL (1976) Sex reversal in a fresh-water sponge. J Exp Zool 195:145–151
Gilbert JJ, Simpson TL, De Nagy G (1975) Field experiments on egg production in the fresh-water sponge Spongilla lacustris. Hydrobiol 46:17–27
Höhr D (1977) Differenzierungsvorgänge in der keimenden Gemmula von Ephydatia fluviatilis. W. Roux's Arch. 182:329–346
Langenbruch P-F (1979) Die Gemmulation von Ephydatia fluviatilis unter Laborbedingungen sowie die Histo- und Cytologie der Gemmulaentwicklung. Dissertation, Bonn
Leveaux M (1941) Contribution à l'étude histologique de l'ovogénèse et de la spermatogénèse des Spongillidae. Ann Soc Roy Zool Belg 72:251–269
Lieberkühn N (1856) Beiträge zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Spongilliden. Arch Anat Physiol 5:399–414
Maas O (1890) Über die Entwicklung des Süßwasserschwamms. Z. Wiss Zool 50:527–554
Rasmont R (1955) La gemmulation des Spongillides. IV. Morphologie de la gemmulation chez Ephydatia fluviatilis et Spongilla lacustris. Ann Soc Roy Zool Belg 86:349–387
Weissenfels N (1978) Bau und Funktion des Süßwasserschwamms Ephydatia fluviatilis L. (Porifera). V. Das Nadelskelett und seine Entstehung. Zool Jb Anat 99:211–223
Weissenfels N (1980) Bau und Funktion des Süßwasserschwamms Ephydatia fluviatilis L. (Porifera). VII. Die Porocyten. Zoomorphology 95:27–40
Weissenfels N (1981) Bau und Funktion des Süßwasserschwamms Ephydatia fluviatilis L. (Porifera). VIII. Die Entstehung und Entwicklung der Kragengeißelkammern und ihre Verbindung mit dem ausführenden Kanalsystem. Zoomorphology 98:35–45
Wierzejski A (1935) (Monographische Bearbeitung von Kazimierz) Süßwasserspongien. Mem Acad Polon Cracovie (B) 9:1–242
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Saller, U., Weissenfels, N. The development of Spongilla lacustris from the oocyte to the free larva (Porifera, Spongillidae). Zoomorphology 105, 367–374 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00312280
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00312280